


Only Human

by AsphyxiatedComatose



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Demons, Gen, Gore, Horror, Sexual Content, Vampires, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-05-14 21:41:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5759854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsphyxiatedComatose/pseuds/AsphyxiatedComatose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>''Well this is great, half dead on concrete. God, I can feel the cold seeping into my open wounds..gross, I'm definitely going to need some more blood. Damnit! This wasn't even supposed to happen; stupid fucking Uchihas!''</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One - Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> I'm trying something new, enjoy!

**Big cities can be one of two things** , well, maybe three or four depending how you perceive it. But personally there's a difference; there's nothing but business, filled with hollow people who have hollow life styles, or there's the big cities filled with life...but this city, this one semi-large city wasn't filled with life, it was filled with cloudy, rainy days, and tall buildings. Tall buildings and private schools, with hollow people. No matter how you looked at it, however, if you look close enough you can see small lights, and those lights are people;people still left with the small amount of life. Sakura Haruno was glowing. The way her long pink hair fell over those dainty shoulders; those emerald eyes that shimmered, even in this shit weather... mind you, everyone has their secrets...even the happiest people had their deep dark desires, though they would never admit it...not aloud anyway.  
  
  
Water coated the outside rubber of her boots as she took small steps into large puddles, her bare legs slightly splashed by the cold droplets of water as she crossed, lights flashing for her to hurry and reach the other side. On the opposite side of the road, two girls stood waiting, dressed in similar rain boots and matching outfits - plaid skirts and dress shirts.  
  
''Come on Sakura!'' Ino called, voice raspy with sickness.  
  
  
The flu was affecting just about everyone; which is normal at the end of summer. The cold weather was only beginning to creep. ''I'm coming!- Shoot!'' Being as efficient as she was, it was odd for her to drop her bag.  
  
  
Ino rolled her eyes. ''My god that girl,'' Muffling she called out a second time. ''We're going on a head! We're already late!'' Ino linked arms with a worried Hinata and they headed in the opposite direction.  
  
  
' **'Hey**! Wait a second!'' Her bag was soaked, it couldn't be helped. Dropping it a second time she cursed, but the alarming sound of someone yelling and a horn from afar beeping distracted her from reaching down a second time, _her reflexes weren't quick enough_ \- even though she used all the strength she had to push herself out of the way of the moving vehicle, she wasn't fast enough. It caught her, and threw her. Sakura's breathing caught, she felt the impact of metal pressing into her side, she heard her ribs cracking, and possibly breaking - something sharp ran up her spine, but she passed out before the pain hit, the impact of her sliding down the concrete and whacking her head hard made no sound; just the sound of a distant alarm from the ambulance someone had called before the car had even made impact with her small frame.  
  
  
It was in slow motion to the pinkette, as if it was just a bad dream; waking up from a very bad nightmare...but this was real, her blood flowed from the open cut on her head, her body a mangled mess - her back was definitely broken, her legs distorted, and her skull looked beyond repair.  
  
  
The blonde whipped around and the only thing she witnessed was a crowd of people; after hearing a scream, she shrugged. ''Come on Hinata, let's not be those people.'' Hinata hesitated, as if something was pulling at her to stay..but she gave in to Ino, the thought of being late to her first day back after a long summer, her father would literally kill her. They could hear the sirens coming from every which way, but neither of them thought it was Sakura; not even her best friend, and Ino normally had a sense when it came to bad things happening to those she loved. ''I hope Sakura isn't too late,''  
  
  
Sakura ~~was~~ dead, technically.  
  
  
The sound of the siren was deafening by the time it reached her mangled corpse. ''Jesus christ! What the fuck happened?'' A raspy voice rang out, like he'd been yelling all night ...which for a paramedic wasn't surprising. There was a crowd of people, gawking at the bloody broken body; pink hair tangled in blood, possibly chucks of flesh or glass...it was hard to tell. ''Come on man, let's get her on a stretcher - check her fucking pulse too,'' He paused, the damaged car had a broken windshield; blood, sure...but no body. ''Where's the other one?''  
  
  
**''Who?''**  
  
  
''The body who darted through the window during impact man, who the fuck else? MAN, back up people!'' He knelt down, and felt her pulse - it was there, barely. ''Come on Kisame! Lift your weight!'' Hidan swore again, loudly as the two of them managed to get her carefully onto the stretcher, and into the back of their ambulance. ''Sweet jesus, she's half dead man, look at that laceration on her head; definitely a fractured skull.'' Hidan hooked her up to tubes, and worked his magic as much as he could until they were able to reach the hospital.  
  
  
The sirens faded as they pulled into the opening, three doctors stood by as Sakura's body was unloaded onto a second stretcher, rolling her into an immediate emergency room. ''Jesus, what happened? Did someone run her down?''  
  
  
''No ma'am, car accident,'' Kisame muttered, exchanging glances with Hidan. ''Hit and run we suspect,''  
  
  
The tall blonde woman watched the doctors around her work. ''Alright boys, you can go,'' Tsunade pulled a mask over her head. ''There's internal bleeding, we have to get her to the O.R,'' Without a second word; her life was fading, and fast.  
  
  
Hidan tore off his blood covered gloves. ''Another one gone,''  
  
  
''And you care **why**?'' Kisame muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. ''It's nothing we haven't seen before,''  
  
  
Hidan shrugged, itching for the smokes that rested in his back pocket.  
  
  
''It isn't like you to care so much Hidan,''  
  
  
''That girl was way too young man, too young,'' He shook his head again, and reached for his smokes. ''Anyway, lemme know if she lives.''  
  
  
''Doubtful.''  
  
  
**''WATCH OUT!''** _Dark eyes; pale skin, long hair, and a distorted look, almost mangled._  
  
Sakura heard her heart in the back of her head, she saw her life flash - and the life she would never have, she felt the adrenaline pump once, and then twice, and then smash...darkness. 'W-Where...' There was nothing but light, and people yelling around her; the sound of strange alarms, and something pumping - was that her heart? She tried blinking, a pain surged up her arm...followed by a light fluffy feeling, her head felt numb and suddenly darkness once more.  
  
''She's under, Lady Tsunade,'' The anesthesiologist muttered, exchanged glances as Tsunade took her blade and started making a cut down the length of her sternum.  
  
**-End Intro**


	2. Rigamortis?

_'God, why is it so **cold**? and what's that god-awful smell, it smells like pickles and onions that's been rotting for a month - so gross, why is it so dark?...' - **Clunk**. 'OW! What the?-where am I? What the hell!' **Clunk, Clunk, Clunk.**_

...  
  
  


''You guys are so lucky you're not late, I mean, Hinata it's totally not like YOU to be late.'' Tenten, third year, good friends; dating Neji Hyuuga, also third year...''You're lucky your cousin isn't around, you know how Neji is with your dad,'' She was leaning over the back of her chair, Hinata and surprisingly Ino were in an advanced class, ranking at the third year level, though, the only reason Ino even made it through was because she was keen on cheating off of Hinata on every test, and assignment. ''Anyway, why is it you were so late?''

 

''Sakura took her time meeting us this morning,'' Rolling her eyes, Ino popped some gum into her mouth while they waited for the teacher to arrive, it wasn't unusual for Kakashi to be late. ''Which is weird, Sakura's always on time..maybe it was a bad morning,'' Shrugging, she pulled her cell out; no texts. ''Hm, that's odd.''

 

''Is Sakura still running late?'' Hinata asked, eyeing Ino's phone.

 

 

''I'm not really sure,'' The clock was now 9:00AM, the bell rang at 8:30AM. ''-Something doesn't feel right,'' Ino sent a message to Sakura's phone.

 

 

**BUZZ BUZZ.**   
**BUZZ BUZZ.**

 

''.....Hey, isn't that the dead girls shit?'' The morgue workers weren't overly friendly, they kept all the remains belonging to the deceased in their place until family came to claim it. ''I think her cell phone is going off, should I uh answer it?''

 

 

''I don't know fuckass, you answer it and hurry up, Tsunade called for an autopsy on her body,''

 

 

\- 'Voices....was I kidnapped? What the hell is this!' **CLUNK. CLUNK.**

 

 

''MAN-did you hear that?''

 

 

 **CLUNK CLUNK** \- ''Dude it's totally coming from inside there,''

 

 

''You're imagining things idiot, there's nothing but dead bodies, it's probably rigamortis kicking in. Hurry up, I need to take her body down for an autopsy, jesus,''

 

 

''Uh, sure....'' The morgue worker wasn't a nurse, or a doctor, just some lazy slum who needed a part-time job. ''Lemme just unlatch this....y-you sure she's dead?''

 

 

''Yes idiot, Tsunade pronounced her dead twenty minutes into it,'' The doctor doing the autopsy rolled his eyes, and unlatched the metal door himself, only to pull out Sakura's body, the second she was out - she pushed herself off, arms and legs flailing in every direction.

 

 

''HOLY SHIT,SHE'S FUCKING ALIVE BRO, IM OUT OF HERE!'' The morgue worker had parted, and the doctor had fallen on his ass, looking up at the white cloaked figure of a female, and that female was Sakura; very much alive.

 

''....Holy shit,'' He grabbed his pager and called Lady Tsunade within seconds.

 

 

''......Where am I?'' Sakura blinked, voice raspy - the cuts and slashes on her body were now fading yellow bruises, no mark left on her body; she blinked, her eyes shimmering under the dull lights of the morgue room. Before she could get an answer, the man passed out, leaving Sakura standing there naked; she touched her head slightly, no fracture, but no memory of what happened. She heard running footsteps, and within seconds Tsunade and four nurses at her side were in the doorway of the morgue.

 

 

''....Y-You're alive? But how?!'' Tsunade was wide-eyed, unbelieving like she was seeing a ghost. Her eyes traced down the length of Sakura, no cuts, no blood, no nothing...

 

 

''What happened? and um,'' She looked down, ''Why am I naked?''

 

 

Back at the school, Ino had constantly been checking her phone. ''I don't understand, it isn't like her to ignore my texts.''

 

 

''Maybe she's still in class, Sakura-chan doesn't ever miss school.'' Naruto reassured her. ''Shes' my best friend too, no way would she ditch out, she was just late and doesn't wanna get in trouble by ditching a stupid class.'' He shrugged, arms behind his head, blowing pink bubbles out of his large mouth - Naruto Uzumaki wasn't a heart-throb to high school girls, but he would be once out. ''Anyway! I was late this morning too.''

 

 

''You're always late dobe.''

 

 

''Sasuke! What are you doing here so late? You weren't in this mornings class!'' Naruto announced, rather loudly as his voice echoed throughout the lunch cafe'.

 

Sasuke took his normal seat, just like the previous year.

 

 

''Jeez Sasuke-kun, you look exhausted.''

 

 

Ino wasn't wrong, his hair was sloppy, tired lines under his eyes, and clothes looking careless. ''Is everything okay?''

 

Sasuke ignored Ino, not noticing his usual pink-haired annoyance around. ''Is Sakura late?''

 

Both Naruto and Ino exchanged glances. ''She was running late this morning, Hinata and I kind of ran off ahead, but...I haven't heard from her, Naruto said she may still be in class.''

 

Sasuke shrugged, and looked outside.

 

''Ino's right man, you do look like shit.''

 

''I didn't say he looked like shit, stupid.'' She defended herself, glaring at Naruto before smiling cutely at Sasuke. ''You just look tired today,''

 

''Who doesn't,'' Mumbling, he pushed himself up as to leave and headed for his next class.

 

 

Beep, Beep, Beep,

 

''Is this needed? I feel fine.''

 

Wires and tubes were attached all over Sakura's body; an xray had been done, a catscan and everything else. ''I really really feel fine,''

 

 

''You were a mangled mess.'' Tsunade was white, white like snow. ''I had you cut open on my table, your heart stopped, no oxygen got to your brain - you were completely dead.'' She eyed the two nurses hooking Sakura up to every little thing. ''It makes no sense, in turn, I'm keeping you here over night.''

 

''You can't just keep me here, I feel fine, I'm late for school!'' She bit back, annoyed; completely forgetting what happened, the crash, the impact, the pain...

 

 

''No, you're free to roam the halls, but I'll have to keep you here, it's not scientifically logical for you to be..alive.''   
  
  
-End Chapter 1 


	3. You're supposed to be dead..Part 1

**''How am I suppose to walk around with all these wires attached...''**   
  
  


The cold of the room she didn't notice, she didn't feel the marbled tiles below her feet as they touched the surface, her mind was constantly trying to remember how she ended up here - but she couldn't, she remembered leaving for school, and she remembered dropping her bag, but after that - it was nothing but black space. Tsunade had endless wires coming in and out of Sakura's chest, arms, even her legs. ''This is a little too much,''

 

Unsure of the time, she started with her arms. Pulling out any wire she had access too, unsure if she was being watched by cameras, or possibly a two-way mirror. Usually the rooms in hospitals were some-what warming..but this one wasn't, there were no windows, no cute blankets, just a dull bed and four walls; with two mirrors...most definitely a two way mirror. ''I'm not keeping all these wires in my arms and legs, it isn't needed. I feel fine, if you don't like it, come stop me,'' Sakura stared at both of the mirrors for a good two minutes - nothing, no one came in to bother her, or stop her from removing the wires. ''Well, I'm taking out my chest one now,''

 

The tube coming from her chest wasn't pumping anything in, and nothing was coming out - it was tiny and she pulled, and simply enough it dislogged itself and she was unhooked from most of the wires, and tubes. It had to be night, Sakura started to feel as if she'd been in that hospital room forever now, chewing nervously on her bottom lip she approached the door. It wasn't locked.

 

''....What hospital is this, down town maybe?'' She mumbled to herself; Sakura was a volunteer at the general hospital, not two blocks from where she lived. The sound of the door opening to her room echoed, the hall was dark and narrow with tiny yellow flickering lights...was she in the basement? Why the basement, maybe for special patients? She blinked to adjust her eyes. This place looked run down - and she was puzzled, why would they put her in the basement?

 

Taking small steps, and being cautious she wandered down the length of the hall; it most definitely was the basement because she passed by the morgue and the place where they keep belongings to people who don't have any family; she passed through a few swinging doors and finally found an elevator and a stairway, clicking the up button she glanced left and right - definitely creepy.

 

_''Are you lost?''_

 

Sakura spun around at the sudden voice, almost falling over. ''O-Oh! Um, n-no, not lost,'' Her voice was dry and raspy, like she hadn't had water in days. ''I'm just looking for the main floor,''

 

''So you're lost,''

 

The male figure was tall, and all his figures were dark; Sakura bit her bottom lip a second time. ''Why does it matter to you?''

 

''It doesn't,'' He shrugged, hands in his pockets - he had on a white jacket, but the contrast of his skin and features, they stood out against the white. ''No one comes down to the basement unless they're going to the morgue, or they work here.''

 

The vibes Sakura was getting from this guy, she stared at him a moment more. ''Do you work here?''

 

''Sort of,'' He replied, eyeing her. ''Aren't you the girl who scared my co-worker?''

 

''I don't know what you're talking about,'' Sakura turned back toward the elevator, feeling nervous - like this guy wasn't to be trusted.

 

''He said you woke up after being claimed dead...'' His lips, was this guy smiling?

 

Sakura didn't turn back to face him, her eyes just watched the lights coming down from the top floor. She felt the cold from the floor creeping into the bottoms of her feet, and up her legs, soon reaching her core; she felt cold, and her mouth ached. ''How long does this elevator take?''

 

''I don't know,'' He rubbed the back of his neck. ''I usually take the stairs,''

 

Something wasn't right; Sakura looked over at him, and back to the elevator - he was staring at her and wasn't going anywhere, and being a paranoid person naturally...''Listen what do you want? I mean, you come out of nowhere and scare me, and now you won't stop asking me questions, so could you leave me alone?''

 

''Uh, sure?'' He blinked, and turned; not overly offended, but what did he know - Sakura watched him leave, feeling somewhat guilty. ''W-Wait,''

 

The guy turned back around, and Sakura took a step forward. ''I'm sorry, I'm just-..'' She paused, the aching in her mouth grew stronger, and her eyes fixed on his neck, and that pumping vein.

 

The guy stared at her, confused.

 

''I'm...'' She took another step forward and the pulsing aching push in her mouth grew stronger. Her eyes were fixed on his neck.

 

''Sai!'' A voice yelled, snapping Sakura out of her fixation. ''Get back to work.'' A voice called from down the hall, and Sakura held her throat - 'What was that..' She thought, watching this Sai guy walk off. The man who called out to him had long black hair, and tired lines.... she knew him, but from where.

 

Sakura blinked.

 

''..Is that **Itachi**?'' She muttered, watching him come into view. ''But...he's dead,'' She muttered, he walked closer, and she wasn't wrong - it was Itachi, and very much alive. The male approached her, and Sakura went wide-eyed. ''Itachi?'' She stared, and he looked as white as a ghost; Sakura couldn't think, she couldn't speak, she felt dizzy.

 

''Are you alright?'' He mumbled; _he was supposed to be dead_ \- Sakura could feel herself fainting, and before he could catch her, she hit the floor.  
  
  
 **-End Part 1.**

 

 


	4. You're supposed to be dead..Part 2

'' **Shit**... so who is she?''

 

Itachi rubbed his face, those tired lines very dark beneath his eyes..looking as if he hadn't slept in years. ''This isn't good,'' He mumbled, looking up at Sai. ''She can't know I'm alive,''

 

''But Itachi, you're the one who allowed her to live.''

 

''Just because I did that doesn't mean she _was suppose to see me_.''

 

The confusion on Sai's face wasn't there, but his brow furrowed. ''So why **save her**?''

 

''Because of my brother,'' He paused, watching her chest rise and fall - Sakura was still out of it. '' _She loves him_ , she's loved him ever since I can remember.'' Shrugging, he ran a hand through his hair.

 

Itachi had brought Sakura to a hidden part of the hospital, that only he had access to. He was the autopsy doctor...most of the time, usually only the night shift.

 

''Is there anyway you can make her forget?''

 

''No,'' Itachi stood up and sighed. ''Great, fucking great,'' He shook his head. ''I'm going to be in so much fucking shit.''

 

Sai chuckled as he examined Sakura's body. ''Well, she's healed quite nicely.''

 

''Yeah until her body reverts back into what it was; a mangled broken mess.'' The stress was clear on Itachi's face. ''The effects of my blood won't last forever.''

 

''Well, she'll just have to keep using your blood.''

 

''No shit captian obvious...'' Itachi sat back down, hoping she would wake up. ''That or..''

 

''Change her? Are you even allowed to do that?''

 

In reality, Itachi wasn't. He wasn't a vampire, exactly; and he wasn't exactly alive either.. but no way could he explain that to her...but he may not have a choice, considering she will revert back to death if he doesn't do something.

 

Twisting her features, Sakura jolted up, beads of sweat on her forehead. ''W-What happened?'' She muttered, her vision turning from blurry to clear - she noticed Sai, and then Itachi; face turning white. ''Y-You,''

 

''-I'm supposed to be **dead** , I know.'' He sighed heavily, standing up. ''Well, I'm not, and no Sasuke **can't** know.''

 

Confused, Sakura stared..why wouldn't he want Sasuke knowing?

 

''I don't understand? I mean, you're all he had...'' Sadness was clear in her tone; god she loved him so much. Itachi had a love like that, _once.._

 

''He just can't, I'll explain everything..but you have to promise you won't tell him, alright?''

 

The confusion on Sakura's face remained. '' **How are you alive**?''

 

''You ask a lot of questions.''

 

''Well? It's not possible. We held a funeral for you...'' She trailed off. Of course there was no body, but Sasuke needed some kind of closure. Itachi was the last one...or so she thought. ''I mean, how-''

 

''I never died to begin with, technically,'' Itachi shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. ''Long story short, I'm uh,'' He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of the best way to word it - regardless, he would still sound crazy. ''Uchiha's are, er, different.'' He paused, watching the way she reacted, but she just stared. ''Anyway, I mean, we're different from you, and other well, humans...''

 

''So you're not human?'' She raised a brow mockingly. ''Really now...''

 

''This isn't a joke.'' Sai said sternly. ''Itachi saved you.''

 

He saved her? ...how? Sakura wasn't even sure what happened.

 

''You? How? What happened to me?'' She asked, nothing but questions clouding her mind. ''I mean, I remember going to school, and I remember dropping my bag..''

 

''-Do you remember the accident?''

 

''Accident?.....''

 

Sakura suddenly felt dizzy, she closed her eyes as if to stop the spinning of the poorly lit room. ''What...accident?''

 

''Well, you died, technically.'' Sai was way too blunt. ''You were caught in the middle of the crosswalk, and well this car hit you - hard, to the point that you flew about fifteen feet and cracked your skull basically in two on the concrete, OH! Also, during impact your spine broke in three spots, and you were a mangled mess - kind of resembled a bear attack-'' He stopped, she was turning green. ''-Please don't faint again.''

 

''.....B-But how,''

 

''-Like I said, Itachi saved you.''

 

Staring at the marbled floor tiles; a weird stained color below where she sat, Sakura tried to remember but it was nothing but blank space in her mind. ''That's not humanly possible,''

 

''Well Itachi _isn't human_ , technically...so,''

 

Itachi walked over closer, getting a look at the fading bruises, they seemed to be reverting back. ''Shit, you're starting to rot already,''   
''R-Rot?'' She was wide-eyed, voice cracking.

 

''The effect of my blood only lasts temporarily.''

 

''Blood? Effect? Temporarily? What the hell? What's the suppose to mean?!'' Bug-eyed and confused, she wanted to punch him, and this Sai guy... '' **Am I dying**?''

 

Itachi shrugged, pulling a knife out of his back pocket. ''In a sense,''

 

''Um, whatcha doing with that knife?''

 

''Cutting myself,'' He mumbled, slicing his wrist - he held it to her lips. ''-I know it's gross, and makes no sense, but you have to drink.''

 

Sakura was repulsed, she pushed his arm away. ''Are you mad? That's disgusting, and not to mention totally unsanitary!''

 

_''-Do you want to die?''_

 

Die? What did he mean. How could his blood save her in the first place...and what about Sasuke? She couldn't keep this from him, she could barely keep secrets from him in the first place - Sasuke always saw right through her. ''I'll drink your blood, but first tell me what the hell you are,''

 

A very frustrated sigh came from him before he sat down; the slice he made on his wrist was gone. ''You don't need to know the full details.''

 

''Then give me the minor details.'' Demanding she was, but who could blame her in this weird situation.

 

Itachi exchanged glances with Sai, he was better at explaining things.

 

''The Uchiha clan has a special blood-line, it started back a long time ago; Itachi isn't sure who was first, but down each generation of Uchiha, each boy in each family has it in their blood.'' Sai paused, holding up Itachi's wrist. ''No scar, cool right? Anyway, I guess you can kind of say they're not human - they're kind of like, demons? I mean, in a way, or they have demon blood.'' He shrugged. ''Like he said, you don't need to know the full details, you can kind of think of it like a vampire...'' Chuckling lightly, Sai sat down. ''Well the blood part anyway, if Itachi doesn't give you his blood, you'll revert back into your dead mangled self, and if he continues to feed you his blood, well, you'll have inhuman abilities to heal yourself, and quickly.''

 

''So....'' Sakura was taking it all in the best she could. ''You're saying...if I don't drink your blood every so often, I die?''

 

Itachi nodded.

 

''Well that's great, there's no way I'm keeping this from Sasuke.''

 

''Sakura, you have to,''

 

She shook her head. ''What about Sasuke? Does he have this too?''

 

Itachi shrugged. ''I have no idea, but, different things happen to different members of the clan... if you happen to kill someone, like myself, other shit happens - that I won't go into detail, but it isn't good.''

 

Sakura felt sick to her stomach, this was all too much. Pushing herself up to stand, her legs wobbled... ''Is there anyway I can live normally...without taking your blood?''

 

''There is one wa-''

 

''Shut the fuck up Sai.'' Now he's gone and done it.

 

Sakura blinked. ''You can't keep it from me! I don't want to die Itachi!'' Wide-eyed, and obviously scared, her breathing uneven, she really wanted to punch him now.

 

''I can't, it's forbidden,''

 

''So....you're going to let me die?'' Her voice turned into a whisper, her eyes fixed on the ground; her stomach felt tight and she had a flash of memory, the scream she heard before the impact. ''But...he doesn't know yet,'' She breathed out, clenching her chest. '' _Sasuke doesn't know_ ... '' Looking back at Itachi, there was pleading in her eyes. '' ** _You can't let me die,''_**

 

Whatever humanity he had left made his heart long, and he felt guilt - only so often did he feel this. ''...you'll want to kill yourself if I do,''

 

Sai stared, watching Sakura's body languague. ''I think she would be okay, as long as she had you to make sure she didn't go out of control.''

 

''Out of control? OKAY enough is enough!'' Temper flaring, she couldn't control it, she grabbed a hold of Itachi's collar and pulled him. ''Fucking fix me, or I'll tell Sasuke your alive.''

 

Exchanging glances with Sai, he sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. ''You're going to go crazy, and kill yourself, Sakura...... just a warning, if you feel the need at all...well, you have to come to me.''

 

''The need to what?'' Her voice was sharp, she was pissed obviously.

 

''Feed,''

 

''So Sai was right, you're a vampire?''

 

Shaking his head no. ''I have to kill you for this to work.''

 

''Wasn't I already dead, why didn't you do it then?''

 

''It's hard to explain. I can do it quickly, but I'd suggest you brace yourself,''

 

Panic washed over Sakura, she took a step back. ''-Couldn't you just knock me out or something?''

 

Itachi was moving in on her, like predator and prey.

 

Her heart was beating uncontrollably; was this some sick ploy to kill her so she wouldn't tell Sasuke? ..He reached up, and Sakura fell unconscious - she felt no pain, just like she was sleeping....

 

''So did it work?''

 

Itachi looked at Sakura's limp body; he had killed her, and did all the neccessary things to make her like him, but he'd never done it before..... he wasn't really a vampire, the Uchiha were just cursed, with a thirst for blood, killing and once in awhile someone would get a weird gift...like being able to heal people with their blood, and the healing factor of their own. ''I won't know until she wakes up..''   
  
**-End Part 2, New chapter soon!**


	5. Blood Lust

**''So did it work?''** Sai looked at Sakura who was partially awake, rubbing her tired eyes. ''Oh **shit** , your eyes!'' He stared, her eyes were still green; but more so enhanced, they looked like emerals. Infact, Sakura's entire outer appearance was different. Her hair looked fuller, and so did her lips...plump and pink, basically matching her hair. Her skin was porcelan and soft, and she looked somewhat like a statue until she moved. ''I think it worked Itachi,'' Sai breathed, wanting to draw a photo of her within seconds. ''But um, why does she look different?''

 

''She doesn't look different, her looks are just well,'' Itachi sighed, leaning closer. ''-They're _enhanced_ , I guess.'' It effected everyone differently. ''Only time will tell I guess, Sakura how do you feel?''

 

''Hungry,'' Her voice was raspy, she'd been out for what seemed an eternity - though, two days of sleep would feel like that. ''Really hungry,''

 

''-Well you haven't eaten in like three days so it makes sense.'' Sai chuckled; Itachi sighed with relief, at least she wasn't blood thirsty - not yet anyway. ''Do you want us to order you a burger or something?''

 

''No,'' Sakura shrugged, pushing herself up off the table. ''Was I really out for two days? I wonder if schools called.....where's my phone?''

 

Sakura's things were in a pile beside Itachi, her book bag, jacket, even her torn, blood covered clothes. ''Oh-....um, well I can't go out in a paper dress,'' She blinked. ''Itachi, can you stop by my apartment and grab me a change of clothes?'' Assuming Itachi even knew where she lived...

 

''Uh, actually,'' He handed her a pair of old jeans and a sweater. ''Here,'' The clothes looked old and warn. ''-Those were mine, they should fit you...well enough for now anyway...''

 

''Um.'' She blinked, holding them closer to get a better look. ''Sure?'' She walked passed the two of them, back turned, she changed within seconds...a lot faster than a normal person would - but she wasn't 100% normal anymore, if any at all. ''Well I guess this will do until I go home,'' She paused. ''-I can go home right?''

 

Sai and Itachi exchanged glances. ''About that, Sai's actually enrolled at your school to keep an eye on you.''

 

''-Isn't he like 25?''

 

''I'm 23 actually, besides, I don't look old.'' A small smile crept on his face; he was right though, Sai could easily pass for much younger. Sakura looked suspicious, ''What if someone finds out?''

 

''No one will find out, especially not my brother.'' There was warning in Itachi's tone. ''All fucking hell will break out if he does, so try to act normal..''

 

''-Right, um,'' Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. ''How am I supposed to explain the way I look?''

 

''Has anyone seen you over summer break?''

 

Itachi was right - in a sense, she was away for a full month in August visiting some friends overseas...and she didn't technically get close enough for Ino and Hinata to see her; so it could work, if she was careful about it. ''Yeah okay, so what? I'll be your guide or whatever?''

 

Sai nodded. ''It's all set in stone.''

 

''How did you two manage that anyway?''

 

Itachi passed her, her cell phone and the remainder of her things. ''It's complicated, just make sure you don't say anything,'' Another warning, Sakura nodded and gathered her things - preparing for the next day and all the questions she would be asked about missing the first week of classes; however, Itachi had taken care of that without her even knowing, he just told her to be casual, and act as if the accident never happened. Sakura's back story would be that she stayed behind to help with the accident, she was an eye witness and was just questioned about the events that happened; but that was it....

 

''Do we really have to wear such clothing?'' Sai pulled at his tie, he wasn't overly a fan of formal wear. ''Uniforms are a waste of time, and it doesn't allow you to express your creativity.''

 

Sakura walked besdie him, getting glances from left and right - glowing with beauty as they passed strangers. ''It's school policy, you signed up for this, so don't complain.''

 

''On the contrary...I didn't sign up for any of this.'' The walked in sync down the main street that led to Sakura's school; where everyone would be, and where everyone would question her - or so she thought. ''Stop pulling at it, you're making it look messy.'' They stopped walking as Sakura reached up to adjust it, getting looks from two familiar faces.

 

'' **SAKURA HARUNO**!'' Ino's voice echoed; and shivers ran up the pinkette's back...here it came. ''OH my god!!! ITS BEEN A WHOLE WEEK!'' Ino was offended, it wasn't like them not to talk at all, not for that long anyway. ''I heard all about the accident! I can't believe you stayed and helped the poor girl in the accident;'' Jokes on you Ino, she was the poor girl.

 

Sakura blinked, Sai gave her a look as she turned in the direction of Ino's loud mouth. ''Um, yeah, I was there...'' She rubbed the back of her neck nervously. ''It was a busy week-''

 

''No shit! that is amazing!-'' She paused, getting a look at Sai. He looked like Sasuke and instantly she swooned. ''Oh, um,'' Pushing hair behind her ear, she smiled. ''-Who's your friend?'' The loud obnoxious voice went down into a small whisper, which was odd for her...she must of embarrased herself.

 

''Oh! This is Sai! He's new.'' Sakura smiled, eyes shimmering - Ino stared at her. ''You look different,''

 

**Panic.**

 

''Um, no I don't.'' She blinked, staring at her feet. ''Just a new conditioner,''

 

Sai interrupted, he stepped between them as to distract Ino. ''It's nice to meet you,'' He took her hand and smiled, charmingly; Sakura catching her breath with relief behind him; thank god for distractions...but Ino wasn't the only one whom spotted them - coming from behind them was Naruto, and Sasuke....Oh god, not Sasuke, no way could Sakura lie to him...not at all.

 

''Yo! Is that Sakura-chan! NO WAY! IT'S BEEN TOO LONG!'' He shouted loudly, the smiling blonde wrapped a large arm around tiny Sakura as he hugged her. ''Oh man! I haven't seen you all summer yaknow! WHOA you certianly look pretty Sakura-chan! Doesn't she look pretty teme?'' He eyed Sasuke; Sakura's green eyes avoided those dark ones, too reminded of Itachi - she stared at the ground, smiling sheepishly.

 

''You idiot,'' Sasuke sneered, something was off about his voice - Sakura looked up, she stared, mouth parted; he looked different somehow.... she stared for a moment more before he caught what she was doing - and the two of them were fixated on each other for what seemed forever. That is until Naruto stood between her and him. ''It's so good you're home!''

 

Sakura moved so she could look at Sasuke, he was no longer looking at her; something was off, he looked run down. ''Um, yeah,'' She spoke softly. ''Busy week,''

 

The five of them headed in the direction of the school; Naruto bombarding Sakura with questions about the accident...but the entire time she was distracted by Sasuke, why did he look like that? Could it be related to the Uchiha blood line?.... She thought about it, definitely had to ask Itachi later.

 

The school bell rang and they were all in their seperate classes later, with the exception of Sai - it was like he registered himself for all of Sakura's classes, go figure...he did have to keep an eye on her...however, nothing seemed off. ''Did something seem off about Sasuke?'' She whispered lowly so only Sai could hear.

 

''He came off as very moody, and tired.''

 

''-Well yes, but there was more to it...he seemed distracted, almost distressed about something.'' Sakura chose to sit in the back, away from her other classmates - with Sai as an exception. ''He wasn't acting like himself.''

 

Sakura couldn't concentrate in any of her classes; she was distracted, but not just by Sasuke...not after a few hours. The lunch bell finally hit, and more relief washed over her - she couldn't be around Sai, he was more annoying than helping as of lately. ''Um, do you mind if I goto the washroom?''

 

''Alone?''

  
''What? Duh! You can't come into the girls washroom that would be too suspicious!''

 

''-The suspicious bit is you whispering....'' He mumbled, getting stares by strangers passing by.

 

Rolling her eyes, she ran into the washroom - thinking of a way to get away from Sai, just for a few minutes, so she could track down Sasuke and make sure he was okay. Passing by a mirror she paused, something wasn't right - she looked as pretty as ever, her hair fuller, lips fuller, eyes shimmering even under the dullest of lights; she heard voices, and dipped into one of the stalls and just stood there, their voices filling her mind. 'God what's wrong with me,' She bit down on her bottom lip, a little too hard, and her lip started bleeding..

 

Normally..blood would have grossed the pinkette out - but, this wasn't the case. The blood from her lip tasted sweet, like melted hot sugar as it fell down the back of her throat, she craved more, and something related to want crept into her mind as she listened closer to the girls talking; looking through the thin crack in the stall door, only to have her eyes fix on their throats. Was this the blood thirst Itachi mentioned? She was definitely a vampire, what else could it be? A demon? She laughed at herself, and paused when her view crossed the mirror. ''shit!'' Stumbling backward, she paniced; were her eyes red? God lord. If people saw her like that, they would freak; she didn't look human.

 

Waiting for the obnoxious girls to leave, and lunch bell to ring, to her surprise Sai was still standing outside - so she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him into a stall before slamming him into the side of one. ''What the fuck is happening to me?'' She hissed, her eyes were the deepest shade of red, resembling blood.

 

''Did you fucking bite someone?'' He asked, a little too loud for Sakura's comfort levels - she jumped on him, covering his mouth. ''-Have you gone fucking mad?! Someone is going to hear you!'' Hissing, her loud whisper wasn't quiet enough for them not to be heard, but thankfully lunch was over and they had some peace and quiet - that is until someone decides to use the washroom. ''No I didn't bite anyone, I bit my lip, and it started to bleed and now,'' She paused, she still had a hand over his mouth and she could taste his blood in her mouth already as she gazed at his neck. Her mouth was watering, more so than it should've been. ''-I...want to bite you,'' She breathed, unable to look away.

 

Sai was experienced...somewhat, Itachi had told him most of what to do - the red eye thing would go away if she drank human blood; he was hoping they would've been back at the hospital for blood, not his. ''Bite me,'' He muttered, looking more so nervous than anything - though it was hard to tell with his facial expression.

 

Sakura's humanity wasn't completely gone, looking at him like he really had gone mad. ''That is sick and wrong!'' She stepped back, but Sai grabbed her and pulled her closer. ''Your eyes will stay red unless you drink human blood-''

 

''Ew! What, why! I'm totally a vampire!''

 

''No you're not. You're kind of like an Uchiha now - there's blood thirst, but you don't have fucking fangs.'' He snapped, digging in his pockets for something sharp. ''I can't explain it Sakura but you have to,'' He brought up a small paper clip and dug it ever so slightly into his neck - just enough to make him bleed; Sakura's eyes darted to the spot were blood was now flowing freely. ''-What if I can't stop,''

 

''I'll make you stop,'' Just because there was blood thirst, didn't result in super human strength or anything. ''Just do it already before someone comes in, or worse...''

 

This whole situation made Sakura's head spin...but the moment her mouth bit into his neck, and blood fell onto her tongue and down the back of her throat - it was like she was in a trance, and so was Sai; Sakura's body pressed up against his so he was pinned against the back of the stall, Sai closed his eyes - it was somewhat painful, but weirdly....he turned the slightest shade of red, the feeling of her soft body pressing into him, the curve of her, kind of turned him on; the more blood she drank, the more she wanted; the taste was overwhelming addictive. The more Sakura moved against him though.... Sai needed her to stop, and not just due to her drinking his blood. He pulled her away, her eyes were back to their normal shade of green, she wiped her mouth and suddenly the want for his blood was gone.

 

''....A-Are you okay?'' She was breathless. ''-Wait, why are you blushing?''

 

''D-Don't worry about it.'' He shook his head, and wiped his neck, luckily it left little to no damage. ''Your eyes are normal again.'' He smiled, ''Thank god.''

 

''.........Did that turn you on?''

 

''N-No!'' Sai put his hands up in defense, what a terrible liar.

 

Sakura wiped her mouth again. ''Gross, no way is that happening again! No offense...but you're not really my type.''

 

Sai didn't care, he still enjoyed it....creep. ''Anyway! We should get to class.''

 

''Actually, I want to go home. I need a shower.''

 

The bell rang again...how long had they been in their? ''Maybe you shouldn't miss anymore class,'' Sai explained as they both stood outside of her locker, not wanting it to be weird if anyone saw them in the ladies room. Sakura pulled her bag from her locker. ''I don't have any classes this afternoon,'' She paused. ''Do you?''

 

''I thought you had gym?''

 

''I didn't take gym this semester,'' Now was her chance to confront Sasuke. ''-I'll be fine, besides, I'm going to go ask you know who what that was all about. Just meet me there afterward, I'm sure I can manage walking.''

 

''-Are you sur-''

 

''Positive!'' She reassured him with a smile. ''Now go or you'll be late for class!''

 

Watching Sai go into the gym, she headed for Sasuke's locker; weirdly enough he was there, with Naruto - damn. ''Oh, um, Hey guys,'' She half-smiled.

 

''OI! Sakura-chan!'' Naruto smiled widely. ''How's your day?''

 

''Um, ya'know..'' She smiled nervously, she didn't want Naruto involved in any of this - he was too clueless anyway. ''Are you guys done for the day?''

 

''-Nah, I have gym! I can't wait to beat Lee in a race,'' Naruto grinned. ''I think Sasuke's off, aren't you?''

 

Sasuke didn't answer as he closed his locker, book bag over his arm - something was definitely off. ''Anyway! I gotta run! Catch ya guys later!''

 

Now was her chance.

 

''Um could I talk to you Sasuke?'' Sakura asked, unable to look at him - but even he was giving her weird looks as they left the school together. It was grey outside, and somewhat cold as they walked side-by-side. ''What do you want?'' He asked; he was acting colder than normal....

 

''Is everything alright? I mean, since I saw you this morning you look kind of run down.''

 

''It isn't any of your business Sakura,'' He snapped back at her. ''It isn't even one day you're back and you're already bloody annoying.''

 

Sakura stared at him; already upset - why was he such an ass all of the time? She held her ground, just outside of the school's gates, no one around... ''You look like shit.'' She snapped back, which wasn't normal, not for her, it must be due to the change.. ''You look run down, and exhausted and I'm allowed to fucking ask!'' Her voice, there was a hiss to it - and he noticed.

 

''What's wrong with your voice?''

 

''Nothing- tell me what the hell is wrong.'' She yelled this time, and it echoed loudly.

 

Sasuke was a bit taken back; he shrugged. ''Itachi died a few years ago this week-''

 

Sakura felt like her heart was being pierced as he looked at the ground. ''I haven't come to terms with his death, are you happy now?'' He snapped back, not so much yelling - he just didn't really care. Sakura reached out and hugged him; he was just as shocked as she was herself, it was never in her nature to just reach out and hug him - not like that. ''-I'm sorry!'' She pulled away, but only partially; her eyes fixed on his neck, like they had been on Sai's in the bathroom stall. 'Oh god, not now,' Her mouth started to run dry, her mouth ached for that taste. ''I...um, didn't mean to...'' Her words were so far apart, Sasuke looked at her; he noticed her staring at his neck. ''What are you looking at?''

 

''Oh-um! Nothing! I.....I have to go!'' And without another word, she bolted in the other direction... not really realizing how fast she was running, but he was following. 


	6. Living Dead Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally able to work on this story again! I hope you're all enjoying :)

_'Why did I have to confront him!'_ Sakura's inner screamed as she bolted around several corners; not exactly running out of breath, but the desire still lingered in the back of her mind. Stopping, she hid behind a small opening down an alley way - she watched Sasuke look left and right...had he really followed her? But why? _'Good grief._.' She sighed heavily, nearly falling over when a hand came straight across her unsuspecting face.

 

'' **Have you completely lost your fucking mind**?!'' Sai was such an ass, and it hadn't even been a day.

 

''What the hell!! DON'T HIT ME!'' Sakura hissed; her eyes were red. ''You fucking jerk!''

 

''Jesus, your eyes, again?! Seriously, we never should've let you out of that hospital.''

 

Sakura rolled her eyes. ''It was YOUR idea.''

 

''Regardless, we can't let anyone see you...'' Digging around in his bag, he pulled out a pair of glasses. ''Put these on until we get back to the hospital.''

 

''isn't there somewhere else we can go?''

 

Sai stared. ''And where do you suggest? Your place? I saw Sasuke follow you, you're lucky he didn't catch up to you, or else he would see your non-human ass.''

 

''I'm thirsty again, there's no way I'm not a vampire.''

 

Sai grabbed her arm and they departed for the hospital. ''You're **not** a vampire,'' Mumbling, they walked - not wanting to attract anymore unneeded attention.

 

The walk to the hospital was silent, mostly. Sai had to keep Sakura from biting people along the way. ''So, Sasuke's upset huh?''

 

Sakura nodded, bag of blood in her hands. ''Yeah, he looks awful...is there anyway-''

 

''No.'' Itachi was stern, there was no way around it. ''-and he can't _ever_ know.''

 

''Not even if he changes too?''

 

Itachi shook his head, running a hand through his hair; the worry was obvious. ''No, just no.'' He wasn't giving a reason, nor did he have to. ''You didn't bite anyone did you?''

 

Exchanging glances with Sai, they both smiled uncomfortably. ''Well....''

 

''-Jesus Sai, control yourself.''

 

''Her eyes were blood shot man! What did you want me to do, let her run around with crazy eyes?''

 

The three of them sat in silence while Sakura drank her blood; it was almost sun down by this point. ''So...'' Sakura threw out the empty blood bag. ''-Can I go home now?''

 

Itachi looked at her before going to the mini fridge, he grabbed what looked to be a handful of blood bags. ''You need to drink these frequently.'' Handing her them, he looked around for a bag. ''Maybe bring a coffee cup to conceal the color...the smell won't really be obvious.'' He shrugged. ''Not to those around you anyway.''

 

''Do I still have to have him follow me?'' She looked at Sai who was too packing his bag.

 

''Just to be cautious, yes.''

 

Throwing her hands up she sighed. ''There goes my social life.''

 

  
After leaving the hospital, Itachi had advised Sakura to contact him every week, and if there were any changes at all to her physical appearance to contact him immediately..in the meantime though, Sai never left her side...it was a bit of a bother.

 

''You know...I'm really fine by myself,'' She held up her ceramic mug. ''I have this _oh so delicious liquid_ to help me.''

 

Sai shook his head. ''I'm not letting you wander around by yourself, just in case.''

 

''I can't believe you're in all of my classes now...''

 

''We have to be certain you won't...you know, lose control.'' He winked.

 

It had been another whole three days, Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke since that day... she looked left and right, he was there, sitting next to Naruto...and Ino? She blinked. ''Um, hi guys... you remember my new friend Sai, right?'' Sakura sat down across from Naruto, Ino and Sasuke were acting weird. ''Um, what's going on?''

 

Sai looked at Ino and Sasuke; he really did resemble Itachi.

 

''OH what? You haven't heard?'' Naruto's voice echoed, slapping Sasuke on the shoulder. '' **These two are totally a thing**!'' He was grinning, and widely. ''Finally ne? We all know how much Ino looooves him.'' He rolled his eyes. ''So gross!''

 

Sakura stared; was this a joke? Ino was the lightest shade of pink, and she wasn't all over him like she normally would be; though it wasn't like Ino was betraying Sakura, Sakura never confessed who she liked, not even to Naruto- so she couldn't really get mad, could she...

 

''T-That's...that's great.'' Sakura said quietly, Sasuke's eyes shifted to her as she stood up. ''Um, I forgot I had a meeting with Kakashi, I'll up, catch up with you guys later - Naruto, do you mind hanging with Sai? He is new and all..'' She forced a smile; but it was cracking as she left, Sai didn't follow her..not straight away.

 

Sakura choked on the lump that had been forming in her throat since she left the cafeteria...was this for real? Nearly collapsing in the bathroom stall, she dropped her ceramic mug - luckily it was empty. ''Damnit...'' She cursed, words breaking as hot tears ran down her face. Sitting on the cold floor, she refilled her mug with more blood - but she was running out. _'Already? Damn_ ,' She thought, pushing herself up and letting herself out of the stall - she splashed her face with cold water, no way could she cry.. she had no reason to feel so sad; Sasuke wasn't aware of her feelings, no one was, not now, and now they never would be known. Sakura wandered out of the washroom.

 

**''-Why did you leave so suddenly?''**

 

That voice, but _why_?

 

''Oh, um, Sasuke - Hi,'' Sakura blinked, wide-eyed and unsuspecting. ''Er, did you follow me?'' She felt shaky, like she would drop her mug again. The more he stared at her, the bigger that lump felt in the back of her throat - only making it harder and harder to speak, or swallow.

 

''Yeah,'' Of course he didn't deny it.

 

''But what about Ino?''

 

''What about her? She's keeping your friend company.''

 

Sakura couldn't look at him; had she asked him or had he asked her? She didn't really want to know..but her emotions were getting the best of her. ''But you're dating now-''

 

'' **So**?'' Sasuke cut her off, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. ''It doesn't mean we can't be independent.''

 

''-Why are you dating her?''

 

Sasuke stared at her a moment. ''Why do you care?''

 

''Because you're my friend.'' Sakura lied; but this time, for some reason, the Uchiha couldn't see through her. Something about what had happened to her was changing her in the smallest of ways, that or giving her confidence, she couldn't tell.

 

''She asked me to.''

 

Ouch - that hurt. Sakura nodded, she really couldn't look at him now, she would start crying. ''It was nice of you to say yes.''

 

''Whatever I guess,'' He shrugged, and eyed her again, he did notice her avoiding his gaze but before he could say anything more Sai interrupted. ''Ah, Sakura! There you are,'' He wasn't alone. Ino wandered over and linked arms with Sasuke. ''Is your meeting with Kakashi finished?''

 

_'It's the price I pay for the lies I've told...I guess.'_ Sakura thought, watching Ino cling to Sasuke; he wasn't hers, never had been, but she loved him since she was young..before Ino even came into the picture. ''Um, yeah..'' She rubbed the back of her neck, and nearly fell over when Naruto went for her cup.

 

''Can I have some coffee? I'm totally exhausted!''

 

Sai's bottom lip twitched, as if he was going to knock the blonde into the ground if he even touched her mug - but Sakura already handled it, she smacked his hand away. ''Get your own.''

 

Apparently being distracted, had also distracted her from the hurt feelings overwhelming themselves in the back of her mind... Now what would she do?   
Sakura drank some of the metallic liquid and sighed, avoiding the couple that stood so close she could almost feel the heat radiating off of them...gross.

 

''So Ino's dating Sasuke, and you're okay with it?'' Sai was prying, it was too soon to dig holes in her emotional life. They walked side-by-side as they headed for Sakura's.

 

''You're really _annoying_ you know that?'' Sakura paused; Sasuke had said that to her once. ''Anyway, it isn't my business.''

 

''Sure, and you're okay with it.'' Sai's sarcastic tone was more than obvious. ''I wouldn't let her have him.''

 

''And what are you, some kind of love expert?''

 

''Well no,'' Sai shook his head. ''People are much too complicated, I prefer art.''

 

Rolling her eyes, Sakura went into her apartment...Itachi really must have taken care of everything, her parents haven't tried contacting her..not once, then again they were still travelling - she lived alone for the most part. ''Make yourself at home.''

 

''Do you have a canvas?''

 

Sakura blinked. ''Uh..no?''

 

''Then I can't exactly make myself at home now can I?'' Sai mumbled, sitting on her couch while she wandered into her bathroom.

 

The reflection in the mirror wasn't her own; her hair was still pink, and eyes still green...but like Itachi had said, everything had enhanced, to a point - she didn't look completely unlike herself...but, at the same time, she looked completely unlike herself. The green in her eyes were fading and she noticed, she dialed Itachi's number the second she noticed.

 

''So this is normal?''

 

''Have you been drinking blood frequently?''

 

Sakura eyed several empty blood bags in her pack. ''Yes,''

 

''Then it should go away, if it doesn't come see me.'' Click.

 

The next couple weeks Sai had become more and more distant, it seemed Sakura could easily handle herself..and if anything were to happen, Itachi was just a phone call away. ''So Sasuke's dating someone?'' Itachi sipped his coffee, or what looked to be coffee..it smelled more like booze than anything. They were in the basement of the hospital, Itachi never left, not that Sakura saw anyway. She avoided answering and flipped through a very large history book, reading all about the name **UCHIHA** and what was associated with it.

 

''Don't want to talk about it huh?'' He had a smirk on his face, jerk. ''That's fine,'' He pushed himself up and wandered over to her; Sakura could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck as he turned her to face him. ''Let me look at you a second,''

 

Itachi pulled her face toward him, Sakura was sitting cross legged on the metal bed she woke up on a few weeks prior, it didn't give her the creeps like it did the first time. Being this close to his face, she definitely couldn't help but blush, Sasuke and him had the same eyes. ''Damn...'' Itachi examined her face, the color in her eyes were fading and he could see very faint bruising under her skin - it didn't work, he didn't do it right, she was reverting to where she'd been when she was hit by the car. ''Do you feel any pain at all?''

 

''...No, why?'' Sakura arched a brow, she felt fine, but uneasy. '' **What's wrong**?''

 

''Something isn't _right_ ,'' He moved away from her, looking distracted. ''I have to go somewhere,'' He grabbed his jacket.

 

''Wait, what?" Sakura pushed herself up and grabbed his arm. ''Itachi, what's going on?''

 

'' _You're reverting_.''

 

''What? What do you mean reverting?''

 

He grabbed his keys. ''Wait here for Sai, I'll call you as soon as I know.'' He paused, throwing her more blood bags. ''Drink these frequently, do you understand?'' The look on his face made her nervous, though she wouldn't admit to it. Before she could ask anymore questions, he left, leaving her there. What was going on, what did he mean? She felt sick. 

 


	7. Empty Blood Bags

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of short... I'm also terrible at writing chapter titles. Enjoy! :0

''This is completely unacceptable, of all people I never thought you would be the one to make quite a mistake.''

  
''Forgive me,''  
  


''It isn't something as _easily_ as forgiving Itachi.'' Madara sat with his chin in hand as he watched his nephew sweat. ''She isn't of the Uchiha blood line, of course she's going to start rotting you naive fool.'' He didn't move, or blink, he simply watched. ''You have to **kill her** , or let her suffer, it's _prohibited_ to keep her alive, living off your blood.''  
  


''But what about **Rin**?''  
  


His brow furrowed from where he sat. ''Rin? Obito's silly _wife_?''  
  


Itachi nodded. ''Is she not within our clan?''  
  


''Being married in is completely different from doing a forbidden act.'' Madara's deep voice seemed to echo throughout his large estate. ''You tried changing her without our clan's approval, there are many steps to take to achieve such a thing with a _dying_ girl.'' Sighing, he pushed himself up and eyed Itachi once more. ''Either kill her, or let her suffer.'' He paused. ''You should not have gotten involved, her fate was to die, not to suffer.'' Though Madara sounded sincere to Itachi in this moment, he was the cause of his parents death and more, he bowed and departed. He couldn't kill Sakura; he wouldn't, the _feelings_ he had from the past still lingered - though not for her, he felt pity and Sasuke couldn't go without her in his life..though he didn't exactly know that himself quite yet.  
  


''So Itachi said you were reverting?''  
  


Sakura held up her arm, it looked broken but the pain wasn't felt. ''Clearly. I can't leave now! I mean, look at me!''  
  


She was right, and apparently so was Itachi - she was completely reverting back into what she had been at the accident, her skin was beginning to look more so anemic, the color green in her eyes was coated over with a haze, and the bruises that once were a dull yellow were purple and filled with blood. ''I'm the walking-dead.'' She wept, afraid to look in the mirror a second time. Itachi had been gone for two days, thank goodness it was the weekend.. she couldn't afford to miss anymore class or her friends would question her absence.  
  


''Yeah...'' Sai watched her wrist bend backwards. '' **That is gross**.''  
  


''Ugh!'' Sakura threw the large history book at his head. ''No **shit** captian obvious!!'' He was driving her nuts, obviously.  
  


Sai ducked, and Itachi had caught the book before it hit the wall. ''Having some trouble?''  
  


''Um, do you see what I look like right now?!'' Sakura's voice bounced off the wall; she was scared, and it was very evident in her tone.  
  


'' ** _Fuck_** , you're reverting faster than I thought.''  
  


''No shit!'' Sakura sat atop the metal bed and hung her head as Itachi drew closer, he grabbed her face. ''Much faster...'' His voice was a low whisper. ''I'm going to have to give you more of my blood.''  
  


''Wait, I thought you changed me or whatever?''  
  


Itachi's hand's moved to her collar bone, it was broken, among other bones. ''Christ,'' Moving away, he grabbed a sharp object before piercing his wrist. ''You need my blood before you die on that table again.''  
  


''What the hell! I thought you changed me!'' Itachi shook his head and put his wrist up to her mouth. ''Drink.''  
  


Sakura opened her mouth, and her eyes closed - she couldn't say no, she could feel her body dying ... and it was terrifying.  
  


\--

''God, I love Monday! Don't you love Monday's Sasuke?!'' Naruto's voice echoed as they walked the mainstreet to school. ''The air is so fresh,'' He walked with his hands behind his head, a grin on his face; he was the light no one really could get rid of, or wanted to. Entering the school grounds, the nice weather turned to clouds and drizzle. ''Aw man, I was hoping to play soccer after school...'' He sighed heavily as they met with Hinata and Ino. ''Hey guys!''  
  


''Um H-Hi Naruto.'' Hinata blushed, having the biggest crush on the blonde since pre-school. Though, he was too oblivious and she would never admitt it. The four stood silent for a moment, Ino kissed Sasuke on the cheek - they were dating, but Ino was much too shy oddly enough, to even think about kissing the Uchiha..as much as she wanted to, something held her back; lack of confidence.  
  


Sakura was walking next to Sai, she looked just as pretty as she did her first day back to classes. Drinking Itachi's blood helped - he gave her some of his blood to take with her, but not much. It seemed it lasted for a few weeks at least, until he figured out how to handle this situation properly - he didn't want anyone dying, or _worse_..getting killed by a very angry relative for breaking the oldest rules in the book. Sakura witnessed Ino's kiss to Sasuke, her heart stopped - or so it felt that way. Being emotionally hurt could seriously hurt you physically too, if it was strong enough to. She stopped, but only for a moment. ''Um, Hi guys,'' She smiled, entering the group with Sai.  
  


''You two are always together, _are you dating_?'' Sasuke asked, which wasn't like him at all - even Ino looked surprised he asked.  
  


''No.'' Sai answered before Sakura could react. ''I have a girlfriend back home.'' He lied; but the lack of expression on his face made him very difficult to read.  
  


''Where's back home?'' Ino asked, fingers wrapped around Sasuke's arm, though he never seemed interested in touching her..  
  


Sai didn't answer, he looked at Sasuke - he really did resemble Itachi. ''Should we get to class?'' He looked at Sakura who seemed completely distracted by Sasuke and Ino, and her dark thoughts she had about them dating.  
  


''Um, I have to go to my locker first.''  
  


''I'll go with you!'' Ino announced, she hadn't had a girl talk with Sakura in what seemed forever. ''Sai, why don't you walk with my Sasuke-kun, and Sakura will see you after class?''  
  


Sai couldn't answer, and Sakura couldn't say no as Ino pulled her into the building.  
  


''You and Sai are pretty close there Sakura, you sure he doesn't like you?'' Now Ino was the one who was prying.  
  


Sakura opened her locker, she couldn't even look at her. ''Yeah, you heard him, he's got a girlfriend back home.''  
  


''Or that's just an excuse....anyway! Can you believe it? I'm dating Sasuke!!!''  
  


_'No shit, you stupid bitch.'_ Sakura thought, slamming her locker she forced a large smile on her face. ''I know right! **Soo** lucky.'' Sakura was mocking her, but Ino was too stupid to catch on. ''I'm surprised you're dating though,'' She added; Sakura wanted to know the details and she knew Sasuke would never tell her.  
  


''Well! I can tell you all about it if you want,''  
  


Sakura rolled her eyes. _'Joy.'_  
  


''I confronted him after class, he seemed so down... I don't know why though...'' Ino mumbled.  
  


_'But I do,'_ Sakura thought, still feeling guilty about not realizing what week it had been.  
  


''Anyway!'' Ino smiled, going on as they walked the halls. ''I told him I liked him ever since we met, and I asked him to be my boyfriend, and he said yes!''  
  


''He said yes?'' Sakura stared at her. ''Just like that?''  
  


Ino nodded. ''Yeah, it was super unexpected! I never thought he would be into me!''  
  


_'Neither did I ...'_ Sakura bit her bottom lip. ''I should get to class.''  
  


It wasn't that she felt sad; it was that she felt that need again.. and she most definitely couldn't do it to Ino. ''We can talk more at lunch, okay Ino?'' The need was creeping up like vomit in her throat, she hurried passed her and moved quickly - leaving Ino slightly confused.

 

**_'Fuck!'_** She darted into the nearest empty classroom, or so she thought was empty.

 

''Hey Sakura-chan!'' OH fuck, not Naruto! ''Um, you okay? You don't look well.'' He stood from his chair, but Sakura kept her distance. ' _'Are you okay_?'' He asked as he approached her.

 

_'God damnit stay away!'_ Her mind screamed, if she breathed she would smell him, and his blood, - her mouth ached, her eyes fixed on his neck. ''You okay?'' He asked, why couldn't he just stay away?

 

''I'm ~~ **fine**~~ ,'' She lied, she wasn't breathing and he could tell.

 

The door opened. ''Ne, dobe, you finished yet-'' Sasuke saw Naruto and then Sakura. ''What's going on?''

 

Sakura couldn't take it, she covered her mouth and darted passed Sasuke and out the door, and down the hall - she ran into the nearest girls washroom and ran the water until it was ice-cold; Sasuke followed her. ''What's the matter with you?'' He asked, locking the door from the inside. Sakura's eyes were red, she didn't look at him - she stared at the drain, and the water circling it.

 

''It's none of your business.'' She whispered, keeping her head down.

 

Sasuke leaned back against the door, arms crossed. Go figure, why did he care so much?

 

''You've been acting really fucking **weird** lately,'' Did he really have to egg her on so much? Sakura could feel the ache in the back of her throat - she could smell him from here, why did he have to lock the god damned door.

 

''You should go.'' She demanded.

 

''And why should I?'' It was like talking to a brick wall.

 

Sakura shook her head, fists curled. ''Because it's none of your fucking business.'' She looked up, eyes blood red. ''Are you fucking happy now Sasuke?'' She bit, her tone was angry but she kept her voice low. Sasuke took note of her eyes, but he didn't move. ''What's wrong with you?'' He asked, eyes on hers. ''You sick?'' He didn't notice how red her eyes were, he couldn't tell from the distance he was at.

 

''It isn't your damned business. Go ask Ino your stupid questions.'' She yelled, frustrated - thank god he wasn't close to her, she would bite him. Most definitely.

 

''What's your deal with Ino anyway?'' He asked, getting a little ticked. ''She didn't do anything to you.''

 

''Like _you_ know,'' Sakura mumbled.

 

He heard her, no doubt. **''What** was that?''

 

''Nothing! Forget it! Just leave me alone already!''

 

The door knob rattled and there was a pounding on the door - they must've been heard outside in the halls. ''Who's ever in there better unlock this door!'' It was Kakashi, Sakura cursed under her breath and ran into a stall locking it. Sasuke unlocked the door and casually strolled out.

 

''Wanna tell me why you're in the _girls washroom_ , Sasuke?''

 

''No reason,'' Sasuke shrugged it off, walking passed him and leaving Sakura alone.

 

That lump Sakura tried so hard to get rid of had reappeared in the back of her throat..but this time it came out in sobs and the hot tears wouldn't stop cascading down her face.

 

The final school bell rang and Sakura had managed to escape Sai - she was by herself, sitting in the rain. She didn't know it, but the bruises under her skin were reappearing.. slowly, but surely. Those blood shot eyes weren't from Itachi, or what had happened to her...it was her reverting to death and anytime she got emotional or angry, they'd go back to red. She _was dying_ and there was nothing she could do to save herself.

 

''So what was up with Sakura earlier?'' Naruto asked, closing his locker as he looked at the Uchiha. Ino was clinging to his arm, she looked confused. ''What happened Sasuke-kun?''

 

Ino was clueless - apparently Sasuke wasn't really keen on sharing any personal things with her. ''I think she's sick, she was moody.''

 

''She didn't look well man,'' Naruto had real worry in his tone as they walked to the doors. ''-aw man, still raining!'' He dug around in his bag for his sweater. ''I'm gonna get soaked.''

 

Ino had an umbrella, opening it as they left the school - the downpour of rain had gotten heavy from this morning. ''Come on, I'll walk you home so you don't get wet Sasuke-kun.'' She smiled, though Ino was very beautiful; Sasuke was distracted by the color pink in his peripheral vision. He didn't look, or want it to seem obvious. ''Sure,'' Not smiling, the three of them walked and walked for awhile before Sasuke stopped. ''I forgot something back in my locker.'' He lied; though they wouldn't catch on. ''Ino, I'll call you later,'' He went to move away but Ino grasped his hand tighter.

 

'' **I'll go with you,** '' She was smiling and eagerly, hoping he wouldn't say no but Sasuke oddly _wanted_ to know what was going on with Sakura, she wasn't acting at all like herself and it was bothering him a lot more than he would like to admit. ''No, it'll be quicker if I go alone. I run faster than you, it'll be dark by the time we get home if we go together.'' He gave her someone of a reassuring look and Naruto a completely different look, which the blonde actually caught onto. ''Uh, c'mon Ino I'll walk you the rest of the way home.'' Smiling, he linked arms and pulled her away from the Uchiha.

 

  
-

''Is there a reason you're sitting in the pouring rain?'' Sai's voice seemed so dull compared to the pouring rain - Sakura's face was hidden by her hood.

 

''Why do you keep following me Sai? There's no point.''

 

Sai sat next to her. ''You know why-''

 

''No, I really don't.'' Her tone was stern. ''Itachi for whatever reason **saved me,** but in reality, he just made my life a living  hell,''

 

''-No he did save you,''

 

''-LOOK at me Sai.'' Sakura ripped the hood from her head and stared, her eyes were hazed over with grey and her skin had turned just as grey. ''I'm _dying_ , even Itachi's blood can't save me now.'' She felt like crying, but she wouldn't, she already did enough of that within the past couple of hours. ''There's seriously no point.''

 

Sighing heavily, he pulled out his cell. ''I'm sure there's something we can do, come on,'' Sai wouldn't take no for an answer as he pulled her up with him. ''Itachi will figure out a way to help you.''

 

''How do you know?''

 

''Because he **helped me**.'' Shrugging, they headed for the hospital.

 

Itachi was there, like usual, sitting with his alcoholic coffee but he had the family history book in hand as he read. ''Oh my..'' He eyed Sakura, she looked awful. ''...What happened?''

 

''I got upset,'' Sakura shrugged. ''Your brother is an **asshole**.''

 

''What happened?''

 

''Sasuke's dating someone new, and he's suddenly oh so interested in my new behavior. I can't exactly explain what's wrong to him now can I?'' Sakura bit, her temper had been on the rocks lately. Itachi groaned as he pushed himself up. ''Come here,'' He motioned for her to sit on the metal table; she was really beginning to hate the hospital and this basement. Rolling her eyes she jumped up and he examined her face. ''My blood doesn't seem to be working as well as it should be..'' He trailed off as if speaking only to himself. ''Drink this,'' He handed her a blood bag, Sakura didn't refuse as he watched her drink, the color in her skin slightly returned to a normal shade... but slowly faded back.

 

''Hm, drink this,'' He handed her another blood bag, and again, she drank it all. Her skin remained a healthy pale, and the green in her eyes reappeared. ''You have to do me a favor Sakura, you **can't** be around Sasuke okay?'' The look on Itachi's face was serious. ''It seems when you get emotional at all, my blood's effects don't work and you revert.'' Pulling away from her, ''You'll just have to _stay away_ from him until I figure something out.''  
  


''Why don't you just let me die.''  
  


''Don't be a drama queen.'' Sai mumbled.  
  


Itachi didn't answer, he just sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee. ''Just try, Sakura. In the meantime, drink lots of blood. Though it may not keep you the way you are, my blood will keep you healthy for a few weeks at least it seems.''  
  


''I'll keep an eye on her Itachi.'' Sai reassured him, but Sakura just sat there, slumped on the metal bed.  
  


''Yeah,'' Itachi grabbed his jacket. ''I have some work to do. I won't be back for a week or so..but that should give you enough time ...just keep drinking blood, alright?'' Without another word, he'd gone - leaving Sai and Sakura alone.  
  


...' **'Is there some sick reason you two are hanging out in the basement of the hospital?''**  
  


Sakura almost fell off of the metal bed, and Sai nearly jumped ...had Sasuke been there the whole time? ''Um, S-Sasuke, what are....how did you - did you follow me?'' Sakura asked, but he didn't answer. ''How **long** have you been here?''

 

''Long enough to see you two freaks hanging out in the basement of a hospital. Are those **blood bags**?'' Sasuke eyed the empty plastic bags, and looked at the both of them.  
  


''Well yes.'' Sai was as sly as a fox you could say. ''-We are in a hospital, of course there are blood bags.'' He smiled, and it was very much forced.  
  


''Right, so why are you here?''

 

Sakura's blood was beginning to boil but she kept her mouth closed - she couldn't get emotional or else she would zombify again and have to wait for Itachi to return...which was who knew how long. Sai knew it would be bad if Sakura got emotional so he put on a face. ''I work here,'' - It wasn't exactly untrue. ''I paint here too, in exchange for janitorial work, they allow me to paint. Sakura is my newest model.'' Still smiling, he sat in Itachi's chair.

 

Sasuke just stood there, his eyes on the distressing pinkette who couldn't sit still. ''She isn't a very good model if all she does is twitch.''

 

''To each their own.'' Sai repeated. ''Why did you follow us?''  
  


''-Yeah, why did you follow us?'' Sakura bit, but held her tongue after getting a vibe from Sai across from her.  
  


Sasuke didn't answer, he shrugged. Not wanting to admitt that he felt bad for being a jerk earlier. ''Regardless, enjoy your painting...'' He left - leaving Sakura to catch her breath. Thank god Itachi had gone before Sasuke showed up.  
  



	8. Soulmate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most I can do for now, I'll add more to the story within the next couple of weeks. :)

''Wait, so you and Sasuke - No way, I can't picture it! You got to **second base?!'** ' Tenten's excited tone echoed throughout the half-empty cafeteria. ''Oh my god!'' Her smiled stretched ear-to-ear. ''Um details please!''  
  


Ino was red, and it was very unlike her. ''Y-Yeah, just this weekend actually.''  
  


'' **DETAILS**.'' Tenten demanded, exhanging a look with Hinata - Sakura was sitting with head phones in...though she could still hear over her music as Ino blabbed on.  
  


''Well, he invited me over..and we were watching a movie and I just kind of advanced.''  
  


Tenten squealed.  
  


''Do you really need to be _obnoxious_?'' Sakura mumbled, not wanting to picture Ino and Sasuke being physical. It had been a month, Itachi was still trying to find a way to permanently help her..but all his methods have failed thus far. Tenten glared at her before returning her attention to Ino. ''So, did you give him a **blow job**?''  
  


Sakura pushed herself up. ''I'll see you guys later, I have class.'' Not wanting to hear anymore, she left.  
  


' **'Well,** don't you look happy.'' Sai walked beside her once out of the cafeteria. ''Bad day?''  
  


''Can you leave me alone for just one day?''  
  


They walked into biology together. ''You know I can't do that, not even for a day.''  
  


Kakashi stood at the head of the class, he was knowledable in more than one subject it seemed - a jack of all trades. ''We're coming up on Christmas break... it isn't far now, a month to go.'' He looked around. ''I'm assigning you projects, it'll give you enough time to finish them.'' He handed out papers around the room, watching everyone closely. ''Whoever name is on your paper is the person you'll be **paired** with, no exceptions.''

 

Sakura almost threw up when she saw the name Uchiha, her hand darted up. ''Um, excuse me Mr.Hatake.''

 

The entire class turned toward her. ''-Um..'' She blinked. ''Why can't we pick our own lab partners for this, wouldn't that be better?''

 

' **'No** ,'' Kakashi sat at his desk, intertwining his fingers. ''You can work with your assigned partner in class, or outside, whichever works for the two together.'' He was smiling beneath that weird mask he always wore - he always seemed to be sick. ''Well, pair up.''

 

Sai's stare burned into Sakura's back as she moved toward Sasuke's desk. They hadn't spoken, not in a month - Sakura did what Itachi advised, she avoided him; besides, she couldn't stand seeing him and Ino together. ''Looks like we're partners.''

 

''Looks that way,'' Sasuke moved over and looked at her, Sakura held her breath and sat. ''So what are we working on?'' He asked, they had multiple choices.

 

''How about, 'The Human Body & Anatomy.''

 

Sasuke didn't answer, he just stood up.

 

''Where are you going?''

 

''The library...'' Sasuke muttered, leaving the class. They weren't the only pair headed that way.

 

  
Sakura could feel Sai's gaze burning into her back as she left with the Uchiha - this should be good, one wrong word said aloud she would **zombie.**

 

It wasn't like they had to work together, side-by-side. ''Where are you going?''

 

''Over here?'' Sakura mumbled, not wanting to be too close to him. ''We don't really need to sit together, do we?''

 

''I want to get this done within the week so I don't have to work the rest of the month.'' - Well it wasn't a bad excuse - ''We can also work together outside of school.''

 

''Will Ino be okay with that?''

 

''Why wouldn't she be?'' Sasuke arched a brow, and Sakura sighed before taking a seat. It was going to be a long week.

 

''Itachi? What are you doing here?'' Obito was completely caught off guard, he was sitting at the kitchen table with tea and an empty plate. The look on his face was serious. ''What's going on?'' Removing his jacket, Rin exchanged looks with him.

 

''I fucked up, **royally**.'' He ran a hand through his hair. ''I already explained it to Rin.''

 

After explaining the situation again to Obito, the look on his face said it all. ''I don't really know what to tell you, _she's better off dead_.''

 

''Don't say that Obito.'' Rin had a look of real concern on her face. ''-Isn't there anyway to help her?''

 

''Not without getting killed.'' Itachi mumbled, finishing his tea. ''I've looked through all the rules, and our history, the only way to really help is either kill her, or have her marry into our clan..but you two know that process.''

 

The process was very long and complex, and not only could one person do it. ''You could always give her this,'' Rin held up what was around her neck. ''I mean, for the time being. I don't mind.'' She smiled. ''It's not like I **need** it exactly, not anymore.''

 

''You can't be seen without that.'' Obito snapped, not meaning to sound so cruel but he was right. The amulet around her neck was **sacred** ; but it held power. Anyone in Sakura's situation that was not of the blood line, if they wore the amulet, it would stop the reverting and keep them alive until the ritual performed. The ritual made it possible to marry outside of the Uchiha clan, but keep the magic blood line there.

 

''You can't just give it to her, what if she loses it?'' Obito looked at Itachi, but Rin answered for him. ''Itachi, give the girl the amulet. I'm married to you Obito, there's no reason why we can't just lend it to her until we figure out a solution.'' She smiled. ''Stop being so afraid of your uncle, he can't hurt you, or me.'' She winked - Rin wasn't wrong... ~~unless~~ he found out about the amulet.

 

''Fine, but if anything happens-''

 

'' **Nothing** will happen.'' Itachi reassured, taking the amulet from Rin. ''Until we find a solution, I can't **risk her dying**.''

 

''-And why not? Do you having ~~feelings~~ for her?''

 

''I don't,'' Itachi half-smiled, putting the amulet in his bag. ''I better get this to her, I'll be in touch.''

\---

''So you and Sakura-chan are partners?'' Naruto closed his locker, grabbing his bag. ''That must be nice, she's so smart ya'know.'' He was grinning.

 

Ino was linked to Sasuke's arm, leaning into him like he would vanish at any moment. ''You two are partners?'' Ino asked, unaware.

 

Sasuke nodded. ''Yeah, in Kakashi's class. We're paired for a month, but we're planning to get it done this week.''

 

''No way could I do that!'' Naruto announced, his voice always louder than it should be given the situation and where they were. ''I hate hard work.'' He shook his head. ''I mean sure, it pays off, but no way, believe it.''

 

''So you'll work together in class?'' Ino asked as they started to leave.

 

Sasuke shrugged. ''And at my place, or her place.'' He looked at Ino. ''We're just **lab partners** Ino.''

 

Ino nodded, and smiled; her and Sakura were best friends, there wasn't any reason for her not to ~~trust~~ her.

  
\--

''So this thing will keep me from reverting?'' Sakura held up the small amulet chained in silver. It looked like a ruby. Itachi nodded, looking less stressed than before. ''For now, it'll have to do. You can't take it off, do you understand?''

 

''At all?''

 

''You heard the man.'' Sai cracked, trying not to laugh. ''It's like that story about the woman with the ribbon around her neck. You remove that and her **head falls off.** ''

 

''Um...yeah, my head wouldn't fall off.''

 

''But you'd revert in seconds...infact, you would completely fall to pieces.'' Itachi cautioned, motioning for Sakura to put it on.

 

''What? No way! I can't let that happen. What happens if I lose it?''

 

''You won't,''

 

''And if you do, you **die! ** So don't lose it.'' Sai blurted, never having any filter.

 

Sakura eyed the amulet and placed it around her neck. ''It doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything, what if I do lose it?''

 

Itachi sighed, not wanting to think about that. ''Just do your best not to, alright?''

 

''Does this mean Sai can stop following me like a lost puppy?''

 

''No, because if you lose the amulet, I'm the only one who will save your **dead ass**.''

 

''And how do you think you'll do that?'' She looked at Itachi. ''What happens if I do lose it?''

 

''Keep some of my blood with you, _just incase_.'' He sat in his chair, and looked at them. ''Just keep me updated alright?''

 

This entire situation was madness. Sakura couldn't concentrate on anatomy, not now, not like this. Though the amulet was weightless, she felt like she was being weighed down - being in Sasuke's apartment for one, the second, being alone, and third, being alone with Sasuke in his apartment at 7:00PM. It was dark, the sun had gone down; damn short winter days. It was cold outside, but warm inside. The heavy fall of rain outside was heard against the windows, even against the light music that played throughout the apartment couldn't hide the sound of nature raging outside. She felt sick, and not because of her obvious health issues, but because of where she was, and who with. How could she act casual? The last time they were here, at least Naruto was there for most of it - leaving only 20 minutes of being alone with him, with the younger Uchiha. Sasuke, who she barely spoke to since this entire mess. Since she just had to get hit by a car, and die. Her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts, and dark ones.

 

**''Could you stop doing that?''**

 

''Doing _what_?'' Sakura hadn't noticed her persistant tapping of her pen - she must not have noticed considering... ''-Oh! Sorry!'' She was wide-eyed. ''I didn't realize.''

 

''Right.''

 

_'Ass..'_ She thought, rolling her eyes. Why did he even invite her over in the first place? Yeah he was dating Ino but he was never this much of an asshole _previously_. She wanted to ask, to pry, but that wasn't like her; not now, not the new person she was. If she pryed into his life, he would pry back, and she couldn't have that - not under these circumstances. Tapping the pen again, she felt eyes on her and she shrugged.

''What?''

 

'' **Stop** doing that.'' He muttered, eyeing her pen. ''If you can't concentrate, go home.''

 

_''What are you, Kakashi?''_

 

Sasuke was staring at her.

 

**''What's up with you lately?'' Oh god, here came all that rage she had pent up..and not just for him, but for her situation and Sai and Itachi and all the secrets she had to keep from all of her friends, it was driving her mad. ''I get Itachi died, I was there remember?'' She wasn't shouting but her tone of voice wasn't exactly calm as she spoke. ''-I may not relate, but first you follow me, not once, but twice! Then you date Ino? INO!? COME ON.'' Her papers fell off her lap, making a mess of things. ''Then you act like a jackass, and lock me in a bathroom to confront me? Why do you even fucking care huh? You're a jerk to me all of the time - I didn't PICK you as my partner, I was forced into it, just like you; so do me a favor and pick how you want to treat me because I'm getting fucking tired of your attitude. PICK one.'' Sighing heavily, trying to catch her breath, she picked up her papers - she couldn't concentrate, not because she was mad but because of that urge in the back of her mind; Itachi didn't mention that it would still effect her... she bit her bottom lip, afraid he would come closer.**

 

She wasn't wrong, though he was already close enough. ''Why do you keep tapping your pen?''

 

Had he ignored all of what she said?

 

''Do you _**care**_ at all?''

 

Sasuke looked at her, and then looked back at his paper and continued writing.

 

Sakura felt unhinged; she pulled together her papers and walked over to him before dropping them over any kind of work he had done. ''You can explain to Kakashi why our project doesn't get finished.'' Surprised by her own confidence, she grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. Surprisingly, he followed her. ''You can't just leave.''

 

''Who's going to stop me? **You?** '' She laughed, it actually bothered Sasuke but he wouldn't admitt it - he was in denial about how he'd been feeling. Sakura went to leave but Sasuke grabbed her arm..which caught them both off guard.

 

It was like a surge of electricity going up and down Sakura's body from his touch - it was insoluble. She couldn't think, or see straight as he whiped her around - they both stared at each other. The look on Sasuke's face was placid, but Sakura... she couldn't focus, she felt the ache in the back of her throat - her tongue felt thick in her mouth as her eyes fixed themselves on his. Want clouded her mind, Sasuke watched her body langue - she was staring at his mouth but her eyes told a different story, they were red, blood red.

 

**''What's wrong with your eyes?''**

 

It was like a moth to a flame; Sakura took two steps forward and Sasuke took two steps back so he was pinned up against the wall; just like that time Sakura had done to Sai in the girls washroom. The look on Sasuke's face was apprehensive as Sakura advanced and pressed her body against his. It wasn't that he couldn't push her away, he was physically stronger and he could if he wanted to, but he didn't. Sakura's mouth closed around his neck, and she bit down hard.

 

Sasuke did not react; he was in a trance. Her body felt soft, and the smell of her was overwhelming. His fingers were curled into her shoulders, grasping her shoulders as if wanting her to stop but he made no effort to push her off of him.

 

Itachi didn't mention this, not even wearing the amulet. Was this something that happened since she drank his blood so frequently.. it didn't make sense, but Sakura couldn't stop drinking. Sasuke's grip loosened and eventually his arms fell, but not completely - he let them rest on her hips, and Sakura felt it. Her eyes widened, and she came to a realization of what she was doing. Pulling away, her eyes were green again but blood stained her mouth - she was speechless as Sasuke came out of his trance, he stared at her, holding himself up against the wall.

 

''W-What.....'' He stared, blinking as if he were going to pass out. ''What the fuck...''

 

**Silence fell; what had she done.**

 

Sasuke came into the realization of what she had done and he clasped his neck with his hand as if to stop the bleeding.

 

''I-I have to go!'' Sakura was wide-eyed; she already had her stuff, Sasuke didn't respond, he watched her go. This entire situation was fucked.

 

Sakura pulled out her cell phone the second she left Sasuke's, how on earth was she to explain this to anyone? No way could Itachi know, no way. ''Sai, pick up!'' Sakura left a message on his voicemail, it wasn't like him not to answer - not with this situation. Another voicemail as she hurried to the hospital; though she couldn't tell Itachi what else was she to do? Her heart hammered in her chest as she opened the door and ran down the stairs to the room, and of course he was there, cup of tea in hand. ''Sakura? I'm surprised to see you.'' He stared. ''You're soaked. Is it raining?''

 

Sakura hurried in. ''I _may_ have fucked up...'' She trailed off.

 

''Well you didn't lose the amulet.'' He grinned, trying to make light of the situation - whatever it was.

 

''No, I **bit your brother.** ''

 

Silence.

 

''You _what_?''

 

''I bit Sasuke!''

 

The look on Itachi's face was void; **she broke him with her words!**

 

''I didn't mean to!! We were studying sort of, and well, he made me mad like usual! And I was leaving he chased me, and well, um... I bit him.'' The panic in her tone was real and the worry on her face worsened as Itachi stood up.

 

''Well, he's at that age.''

 

''Wait...what?'' Sakura stared. ''That _age_?''

 

Itachi grabbed the very large book of their families history. ''Yeah, he's 18.'' He began, explaining in detail. ''You bit him, he'll heal very fast.''

 

''He will?''

 

''Did he react _normal_ to you attacking him?''

 

Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. ''I didn't attack him.''

 

''Yes you did, so? How did he react?''

 

''I don't know? He stayed calm.''

 

''He stayed _calm_?...'' Itachi looked curious, he flipped to a page in the book. ''When you bit Sai, he reacted the same yes?''

 

''Um, from what I remember yes.'' Sakura was confused; had she missed something. ''Itachi, what's going on?''

 

''Well...'' Itachi was grinning; **WHY WAS HE GRINNING**. ''It's fine.''

 

**''I bit your brother and it's fine? HOW IS THAT FINE.''**

 

Itachi didn't respond, he closed the book and went back to his tea.

 

''Could you please answer me, I'm clearly freaking out.''

 

''Well don't, there's no need to, the reason why you don't need to freak out may freak you out more.'' He shrugged and sipped his tea, Sai walked in the room before she could say anything more.

 

''Hey Sai,''

 

''Oh, hello Sakura.'' He half-smiled at her. ''How did your study session go?''

 

''I bit him.''

 

'' _Oh my_.'' Sai blinked. ''Why did you do that?''

 

''Why are you two so fucking calm about this?''

 

''Because, if you're bit by .. - how do you say it, **_soulmate?_** You don't react badly.''

 

Sakura stared. ''But you reacted calmly.''

 

''That's because **I'm not normal**.'' Sai was grinning, it was creepy.

 

''Not normal? What? What the hell is going on you two!!! I demand answers!!!!'' Sakura paused; Sasuke didn't react to her bite, he was calm; he'd never been bit before, and he was human...at least, for now.

 

''Sai was genetically made by one of my family members.'' Itachi explained casually. ''Danzo, he's dead now so I took him in.''

 

''Danzo? Genetically made? I'm so confused!'' Sakura threw her hands up in defeat.

 

Itachi pointed to the large book. ''You must not have gotten far, every 50 years or so, our family creates..well, I guess you could call him practice.''

 

'' **Practice?** '' Sakura blinked. ''For what?''

 

''Practice.'' Sai said quietly. ''To practice on, to word it better.''

 

''So...they practice on you...''

 

Sai nodded.

 

Sakura sat for a moment, quietly, unsure and confused. ''Wait. Wait. WAIT.'' She was wide-eyed. '' _Sasuke_ is my  soulmate?''

 

Itachi nodded.

 

''So.....will he remember me biting him?''

 

Itachi shrugged. ''Probably,''

 

''What happens then?''

 

''I haven't figured that out yet.'' Itachi said; completely unsure of what he was going to do. ''Sasuke isn't exactly aware of our families history...'' He eyed the large book. ''Put this book in his locker.''

 

''And _how_ do you expect me to do that?'' She cocked a brow.

 

''Sai can do it.''  
  


Sai could do a lot of things apparently.

 


	9. Bloodstream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't as long as most. 
> 
> Recommended song: Bloodstream - Stateless.

 

''So not only did I **bite** him, but now he's going to look at me like I'm a freak or he's going to tell all of my friends that I bit him - then what?'' Sakura chewed on her bottom lip.

 

**''I'll deal with it.''**   
  


Sakura rolled her eyes. ''And how do _you_ plan to do that Sai? He's going to find out about Itachi _eventually_.''

 

The two of them were walking to class together, Sakura hadn't heard from Sasuke since the _incident_ , nor did she hear from any of her friends. Maybe he was too freaked out from her biting him. ''I wonder if he's still freaking out...''

 

Sai shrugged. ''I guess you'll know when you see him.''

 

''No way,'' Sakura planned to avoid him as much as she could. ''He'll have questions and I **don't** have the answers.''

 

_''Speak of the devil.''_

 

Sai grew silent and took a step back as Sasuke approached, but he wasn't alone.. _go figure_. ''Oh um, Hi Sasuke.'' Sakura smiled nervously, not like she could help it.

 

''Hey Sakura!'' Ino was smiling; she seemed to be on some kind of cloud 9 as she stood next to Sasuke; _he didn't have a mark_. Sakura stared and he caught her. ''Are you _sure_ you two aren't dating?'' Naruto's voice crept in, he was grinning like a fool as he put a hand on Sai's shoulder. ''You're always whispering to each other.''

 

''We are **not**!'' Sakura's emotions were stiring. ''Stop assuming!'' She wanted to hit him, but Sai stood in her path. ''We're just friends.''

 

''Right, just _friends_.'' Sasuke said, but his tone was off. He was staring at Sakura and then looked back at the school not far from where they stood. ''We should get to class,'' He didn't look at Ino but she took his words - melting into her like sugar in water. Something about the way Sasuke worded his sentence made Sakura's curiosity rise...why didn't he have a mark, was Itachi right? She chewed her bottom lip as she dragged her feet behind them. Sai didn't bother her the entire walk to school.

 

**_''Sakura,''_ **

 

Oh shit.

 

''Um, yeah?''

 

Sasuke removed Ino's grip from around his arm. ''We have biology, Kakashi sent everyone an email to just meet at the Library.''

 

' **'Funny** \- I _didn't_ get an email.'' Sai looked at Sasuke; he saw right  through the Uchiha.

 

''Maybe it's because you're still new...'' Sakura trailed off, she had to make sure Sasuke wouldn't open his mouth about what she did to anyone. ''Sai why don't you go ask Kakashi yourself, it could have been a silly mix up.'' She gave him a look, and oddly enough Sai sighed and nodded. ''Alright, I'll see you guys in the library.''

 

Ino was next to Naruto. ''So just you and me huh..'' He was grinning again, but Ino groaned and wandered off to her first class.

 

The walk to the library was silent; Sakura couldn't breathe - she couldn't think straight as they walked. Sasuke took her so deep in the library you'd think it was a different place; she'd never been to this part of the library - they must be pretty far away, all the new white pages started looking yellow, the book covers torn and worn from years of being left by students over the course of the school being open.

 

Once in what seemed to be a quiet place Sasuke stopped walking, he leaned against a pile of old books, but the smell was indescribable as they stood. He was staring her down, she wasn't getting good vibes from him - not in the slightest. It was like he was _waiting_ for her to explain what happened but she couldn't speak, she just stood there staring at her feet - where was her confidence now?

 

''You **bit me**.'' Sasuke said quietly, his arms crossed.

 

Sakura didn't answer, she just sort of looked at her feet, he seemed annoyed when she didn't answer so he moved closer - slowly closing the space between them. ''Are you going to talk or pretend like it didn't happen?'' He moved closer so he was not even a few inches from her face; all she could hear was the pounding of her heart as she felt his warm breath on her face.

 

''Yeah, so?'' Stupid confidence, now it shows. Sakura bit her tongue, she couldn't say anymore, she may reveal more than she meant.

 

Sasuke moved closer; _why was he getting so close?_ It wasn't like he wasn't intimidating ~~before~~. ''I didn't leave a _mark or anything_.'' Sakura's voice was shaky as he leaned in, and grabbed her jaw - she felt like she was in a trance this time. Sasuke didn't speak, he just closed the space between them. He did it so calmly, Sakura hadn't even noticed just how close until his body was pressing into hers. His finger tips holding her head tilted toward him, his index finger moving between her lips - as if he was _examining her mouth_. She could feel his hot breath, it made her head spin and that strange feeling started to creep up.

 

''Y-You..-''

 

''I **what**?'' Sasuke breathed, something was _different_ this time, something about the way he held himself around her, it was peculiar.

 

''Shouldn't...'' Sakura's breathing caught as his finger tips trailed down the curve of her neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps as they stopped at the lining of her shirt.

 

His eyes seemed so much more obscure then before, she couldn't read him or what he was doing. Sakura couldn't focus, her throat went dry and mind went blank - all she could think about was his _mouth_ , the pulsating of his heart, and how much she wanted to rip into him. But her thoughts were cut short when she felt his mouth on hers - she hadn't even noticed, not with her mind a mess.

 

Eyes wide, not expecting; her body felt hot, she couldn't think straight. It was soft at first, his lips pressed against hers so slightly, it felt as if they weren't even there, not until he moved. Sasuke advanced, and all she could do was let him. The kiss lingered, but this time with more force, as he pressed her into the cold wall; she could feel the cold creep into her skin..but the heat between them distracted her as he slid a hand up the back of her neck, his fingers twisting with pink locks.

 

Any sound was distant, though they were in a quiet - what seemed to be soundproof place, for the moment all she heard was the pulsate of his heart, and how _fast it was beating_. Sakura didn't know exactly why he ~~would~~ kiss her; he was **dating Ino** , she was _keeping secrets_ , and HELL she totally bit him... so why, why this reaction? It didn't make ~~sense~~. Sakura's mind was a haze, but she kissed him back, maybe not with the same amount of force, but her body was on fire. Everywhere he touched, it sent goosebumps, an electricity of want and tension moved up and down her spine.

  
The amount she wanted to smack him was alarming, but the want of her teeth sinking into his flesh was there too. _'Focus..'_ She told herself, but she couldn't control herself; she could feel the pleasure pooling between her legs as his tongue lavished her own. This whole thing felt like some kind of game; she pushed against his chest, as if to push him away - but he just pinned her hand back against the wall, while his free hand moved down between them.

 

_** ''Ahem,'' ** _

 

~~Oh lord; not now.~~

 

''A library is not a place for anyone to make-out.'' Kakashi's voice didn't echo, it was quiet as he leaned against a bookshelf, arms crossed, a _displeasing_ look on his face.

 

''You two are not the **first** I've caught here.'' Adding this, he watched as Sasuke removed himself from Sakura - the pinkette was afraid to look up, her face was burning.

 

''You two definitely know better, **especially** you Sakura.'' Kakashi shook his head. ''I'll expect to see you two next class,'' He watched the two walk and leave the area together. Sakura's hair was messy, and so was the Uchiha's, luckily no one but Kakashi saw them. Sakura couldn't stop chewing on her lip, very bad habit, especially if she made herself bleed. They were in an empty hall, close to Sakura's locker. What was she to say? Why did you kiss me? ... yeah, like that would go over well. Saved by the bell; but too soon, she couldn't just go home after what just happened ..WHY did he kiss her, it didn't make sense. About to open her mouth - she stopped when she saw Ino and Naruto.

 

''How was class?'' Ino went right back to linking her arms with his one arm, Sasuke pulled away from her. ''We didn't get to finish what we _were working on_ , so Sakura's coming over to **finish what we started**.''

 

''Now?'' Ino blinked, looking between Sasuke and Sakura. ''I thought you and Naruto had plans?''

 

''We do, but I want to finish this project sooner than later.'' Sasuke was more talkitive, and smooth.. _.what was he planning_? Sakura was pink, and unable to look up - trying to make it look as if she was grabbing books and what not from her locker, fumbling quite a lot more than she normally did.

 

''Oh, alright..'' Ino smiled, oblivious. ''Just call me later, kay? <3'' She smiled again, wanting to kiss him but Sasuke didn't even react to her hugging his arm - he just sort of stood there. Sakura grabbed her things, Sai was no where to be seen - good, it was annoying for him to follow her around like a lost puppy. ''Should we go?''

 

''We can all walk home together!! Believe it!!'' Naruto's arm linked around Sasuke and Sakura's neck. ''Just like old times!!''   
  
  



	10. Complete Denial

''How did I know you'd _betray_ me; well let's be honest, I never did initially trust you considering I did kill both of your parents...'' Madara's voice echoed throughout the great hall of his massive home, he had Rin by her hair. ''-and you bring this silly girl into it...'' He looked down as she cringed away from his touch. ''I have been just **itching** to kill this bitch for awhile...'' He pulled her closer to his side. ''It's too bad...Obito's children would've been a great success with his power.'' He sighed, his eyes down on Itachi who was forced to his knees. ''You and your disgusting love of your pathetic little brother, he hasn't even developed any powers yet; poor boy, maybe he's just not Uchiha enough.'' He sighed before tossing Rin to the center of the room. ' ~~ **'Kill her**~~ ,'' Instructing this, Itachi's eyes widened and narrowed. ''You can't make me do that! It's forbidden!''

 

  
Madara's laugh echoed. '' _Forbidden?_ She betrayed our clan the second she gave you that jewel around her neck.'' His words were like stab wounds as he spoke. ''Kill her, and when she's done with, I'll have you deal with that girl you've been keeping secret.''

 

Itachi felt helpless; Madara found out, he didn't know how, but he did - he had his ways.

 

''It's too bad, we could've had so many young promising Uchiha to add to our clan.'' He sighed, and eyed the guards around his chair - as if instructing to take both Itachi and Rin away; but instead, they pulled Itachi away, and all of what was left of what he could see, was Madara _ripping out her heart_.

\--  
  


Sakura's phone buzzed a few times; more than a few times in her back pocket as she walked beside both Naruto and Sasuke - she couldn't help but stare at the ground as she walked, unable to think or breathe properly. ''Um, one second,'' She blushed when Sasuke looked her way, but he soon looked away as she answered.

 

''Hello?''

 

''Sakura? Jesus christ, **where are you**?'' - It was Sai,

 

'' _Calm down_ ,'' Sakura, wide-eyed and confused, she stared at the ground. ''What's the matter?''

 

''They ** _know _** Sakura, you need to run, to hide, anywhere.'' Sai was yelling into the phone, panic in his tone, and Sakura was overwhelmed with panic - Sai never lost his cool, not until now. ''Um...right, I'll be there soon mom.'' Her cover wasn't as convincing as she hoped. ''-Er, Sasuke....'' She trailed off, unable still to look at him, but even more so now than ever. ''We'll have to reschedule, my mom just got home from her trip.'' - It wasn't entirely a lie. ''-I'm just as surprised...but, yeah, so um...'' She rubbed the back of her neck.

 

''Sweet!!!'' Naruto cut in, more than excited. ''-That just means you and I can go on with our plans Sasuke!''

 

''-No, we need to finish what we _started_ Sakura, I'll just come with you.''

 

Damn, he was persistent - Sakura didn't know what to do, her panic was rising and it was becoming more clear on her face. ''No..um, I want to see my mom.'' She continued on with her unconvincing lie, even Naruto saw through her.

 

''I thought your mom wasn't back for another two months Sakura-chan?''

 

Sasuke's mouth twitched and Sakura turned red, what was she to do now? Sasuke would surely find out. ''No, they came home _early_...'' She laughed nervously. ''Jokes on me! I really need to head home.''

 

''I'll walk you,'' Sasuke instructed, his gaze serious. Naruto hummed and sighed. ''Well! I'm going to hit the ramen shop, I'll see you tomorrow ya'know!'' Grinning, he waved and headed in the other direction.

 

'' _What's with you_?'' Sasuke spat, eyeing her. ''Why are you **lying?** I heard part of your conversation, are you in some kind of trouble?'' Though he couldn't tell it was Sai on the other line, he knew it was a male.

 

Sakura could feel the lump in her throat expanding as Sasuke stared her down; it was coming up like word vomit, her words were jumbled and she spoke too quickly for her own good. ' **'I died** ; well _sort of_. I was in an accident at the beginning of the semester, but I was saved, and this will sound crazy and confusing, but Itachi isn't dead \- it's REALLY hard to explain, but, well, he saved me, and well this - '' She held up the pendant around her neck. ''This is basically keeping me ~~alive~~..and without it, I'll die, like, literally revert to death like I had been when I got hit by that car, and well, I wasn't supposed to take this pendant and now your crazy uncle has found out, took Itachi and now he's on the hunt for me, to kill me.'' She stopped to catch her breath, wide-eyed.

 

Realizing what she had said, Sakura stared at him. ''I.....'' She stopped; defeated. Sasuke stared at her. ''-Itachi is _alive_?'' Sasuke's words were so quiet, she could barely hear..but she did.

 

''Yeah...'' Sakura slowed but she remembered that she was being hunted. ''-Look, I know you're probably in a lot of shock,  it's confusing as hell but I need to hide.'' Instructing this she grabbed his hand and pulled him, it was like dragging a bag of bricks - he was in total shock and wasn't even speaking as she ran with him, it seemed like a few hours had past and they were still running, Sakura didn't have a car, so she didn't know what else to do. They finally came to a stop at what seemed to be a small gas station, standing outside as the sun had set and the moon was high. ''We need to find a place to stay...'' She looked left and right - there was a motel sign not far from where they stood. ''Come on,'' She grabbed his hand and pulled out her cell. There was a message from Sai.

 

**-Sakura, get rid of your phone; meet me at this address.**   
**// Sai**

 

She sighed heavily. ''We'll have to stay in the motel for tonight...''

 

Sakura got them a room and Sasuke some water, she didn't know how to respond to him, he just sat on the edge of the bed and stared.

 

A few more hours had past and it was about 2am when he finally spoke.

 

''So, Itachi isn't dead.''

 

''No.'' Sakura was sitting across from him on the bed. ''No, _he's not dead_.''

 

''But, that doesn't make any sense. How is he **alive?** ''

 

''Your family...well, your blood line..it's um, special?'' She paused. ''I wasn't really given a whole bunch of details..you kind of remind me of vampires, given the _blood lust_..'' She trailed off and shook her head. ''-Anyways! Um, well, each Uchiha has different, um, powers?'' She blinked, figuring she was explaining it okay. ''and well, Itachi saved me, and he also told me um, you're my um... _soulmate_.... along with some other things - but anyway, long story short....your uncle is super pissed that I have this pendant, apparently only women outside of the clan can wear this if they're married in...so Itachi got this from Rin, one of your relatives um wives, and well, I think she's in trouble for doing it, and so is Itachi and now they want me dead, and maybe you too, but I'm not sure about you...''

 

''So if you take that pendant off, you die?'' Sasuke was stern and it caught the pinkette off guard.

 

''Yes.''

 

**''Show me.''**

 

Sakura stared, afraid. ''OK, I'll show you...but only for a second, okay?'' She swallowed; she didn't want to take it off - what if she reverted quickly, in seconds before she could put it back on? She lifted it up, and the moment it moved from her skin, the healthy pink turned what looked like a purple-blue bruising from head to toe, the cuts and deep open wounds she suffered were slowly reappearing and Sakura could feel her body getting weaker by the second; she felt her breathing slow and her heart felt heavy as the beating slowed in her chest. The look on Sasuke's face wasn't calm, he looked more disturbed and taken back that all of this was true.

 

''Y-You're telling the truth it seems...''

 

Sakura dropped the pendant back around her neck, breathless. ''Why would I have any reason to lie?''

 

Sasuke looked away from her, her body returning to the healthy state it was. ''So, you'll die without that thing..'' He trailed off, coming to the realization that she really would die but something seemed off with him as he spoke. ''-and Itachi saved you...''

 

Sakura nodded. ''I still don't understand why.'' She sighed and stared at the floor; completely forgetting that they kissed...until now.

 

Sasuke started to laugh, _manically._

 

Sakura stared, had he cracked? She watched him walk around and then out the door, she followed him.

 

The laughing continued for a good, or what seemed to be ten minutes. Until he finally stopped to wipe the tears from his eyes, and catch his breath. ''T-This,'' He laughed. ''This is some kind of ~~sick joke~~ you're playing Sakura.'' He was still smiling; like he'd gone mad. ''This whole act? Itachi being alive?'' He laughed again. Why didn't he believe her?

 

Sakura didn't know what to do, or say, apparently her body reverting wasn't good enough for him.

 

''You really **had me** ,'' The look on his face made Sakura completely uneasy, and even more so when he came closer to her. ''You make up this crazy story about my family, my _deceased brother_ , HELL, you even bite me! All because _I'm dating Ino_.'' He went for the pendant around her neck, and ripped it off of her. ''Jealousy will get you nowhere, I'm going home, don't fucking follow me.'' He hissed, all manic laughter gone.

 

It was like slow-motion at first, him pacing back and forth as if he had gone crazy in the few seconds Sakura told him about what was going on - how could he seriously think she would make all of this up? But when he ripped what was keeping her alive, from around her neck, Sakura saw her life flash before her eyes. _''W-Wait-'_ ' But it was **too late** , as she reached out for him, her foot felt heavy as she tried to go after him - like gravity was pulling her down.

 

She watched her finger-tips darken, as it spread up her arm. The longer she stared, the more the gravity pulled. She looked up, but her vision was so blurred, she barely saw him in the distance. This wasn't a joke, he left her for dead; Sai didn't even know where they were. -The blood bag, she had some of Itachi's blood in her backpack. Falling to her knees, Sakura lifted herself toward the room, but she couldn't move; each fading breath was hollow, her heart beat had slowed so much she could feel it in her chest, it felt heavy - pulling her down; the pain crept slowly into her spine, and she couldn't breathe. The impact from the accident was coming back; the cracked skull - She could hear her _bones breaking_ as she collapsed onto the concrete.

 

Damn Uchiha, she could feel the cold seeping into her now open wounds, blood flowing out from her body; it was painful, but the stress and realization that she may actually die made her eyes water. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, _**she really was dying.**_

_**\--** _

 

_**''Sasuke?''**_ Sai looked to be out of breath. ''What are you doing in _town_?'' He didn't seem panicked, but he could usually hold his composure in any situation. ''-Wait, **where's Sakura?''**

 

''Fuck if I know,'' Sasuke snapped, walking past Sai.

 

He grabbed his arm. ''-I'm serious, _where_ is Sakura?''

 

The look on Sai's face made Sasuke stop, though Sai never really had any expression on his face, it was something in his eyes that made the Uchiha ask. ''What's going on?'' He asked, and Sai let him go.

 

''She didn't tell you?'' Sai stood, it started to rain. ''-I thought she would have.''

 

''Told me what? If you're talking about that sick joke she played, this isn't fucking funny. Don't tell me you're in on it too.''

 

'' _Joke_? What joke?'' Sai stared. ''Sakura isn't playing any jokes. Whatever she told you, is **true**.''

 

''My brother is dead-''

 

' **'Itachi is very much alive**.'' Sai began, the rain beginning to soak his hair. ''I know it's a shock for you, that's understandable, it was a shock for her too. In fact, she wanted to tell you..but the timing wasn't quite right.'' He stopped, ''Given all the information, where is Sakura?'' He noticed something in Sasuke's pocket. ''-Where is she Sasuke?''

 

''I left her at the motel,'' Sasuke stated. ''This is some kind of a sick joke right?'' He wasn't taking anything seriously - he was in denial. ''She tried to fool me with this pendant,'' Pulling it from his pocket, Sai pulled out his phone - Itachi wasn't answering. He lifted a hand, and punched Sasuke square in the jaw, knocking him back a few steps. ''You _fucking fool, she's probably dead by now_.'' Sai snapped, grabbing the pendant from his hand. ''This isn't a joke, this isn't a game, I get your ego is a bit bruised right now but I don't have time for this or you.'' He turned and started to run, he  needed to find Sakura.

 

-

Sirens were heard, and the muffled sound of voices. Had someone found her? It was no use... She was going to die. Sakura couldn't open her eyes any longer, she just heard sounds, or so she thought; the sound of sirens and muffled voices weren't really there. It was late, the motel was deserted given how far they'd come from town. _'Damn... I really am going to die...'_ She thought, feeling hot tears in her eyes; but she was just a cold, limp corpse. Her heartbeat was barely there, lung barely filling with air; but suddenly she felt pressure under her body - like she was being lifted, she felt warm, as the pressure resided, she felt something pour down her throat.

 

'' _Come on Sakura_ ,'' Itachi was soaked from the rain, his eye black, with some cuts on his face that had not yet healed... He was bleeding through his jeans, but most of the blood soaking his clothes were hers. The liquid being poured down her throat was his blood; he knew it wouldn't save her, but it would at least keep her **heart beating**.

 

The extent of Sakura's injuries, given a real situation, she would have died in seconds if not for Itachi. ''Keep breathing...'' He whispered, trying to put pressure on any open wounds; he was breathless. The door was kicked open to the motel room, it was Sai. ''Jesus christ,''

 

''Sai? What the fuck happened?'' Itachi hissed, not having a clue it was Sasuke who removed the pendant from her neck.

 

''Your brother is in denial,'' Sai explained. ''She looks dead.''

 

''She would have been, do you have the pendant?'' Itachi asked, watching her life fade in and out.

 

''No thanks to your little brother,'' Sai threw it to Itachi, and he placed it around her neck. ''-Will it even work?''

 

''Not instantly-'' Itachi stopped talking when he saw Sasuke standing in the doorway, dripping wet.

 

Silence loomed.

 

''See,'' Sai looked at Sasuke. ''You think this is a game **now?** ''

 

No words were spoken as he stood, Itachi moved from the bed and inched closer to his younger brother - but instead of words, Sasuke punched and hard. ''You're alive?! You fucking bastard! You're alive and you let me believe you were dead?!''

 

Itachi stumbled backward, he'd saw it coming - the word sorry was not an option. He ran a hand through his hair. ''Sit down,''

 

A chuckle was heard, but it was a sarcastic one. ''Sit down? I don't want to fucking si-''

 

''-Sit down Sasuke,'' Itachi sighed, ''It's going to take a lot of explaining,'' He sat down on the edge of the bed. ''Besides, it's going to take a few hours for Sakura to wake up.''

 

Sasuke was in such a rage, blinded; he hadn't noticed the damage done to Sakura; her blood soaked the bed sheets, her pink hair was soaked with red, and what looked like brain matter, given she cracked her head open when she made impact with the concrete initially. The lacerations all over her body were too many to count, her body was crooked; given she broken her back, and whatever else. Sasuke stared; this wasn't a joke, **she wasn't lying.**

 

''She wasn't lying..''

 

''No shit captain obvious.'' Sai shook his head. ''Your poor hurt ego couldn't take it.''

 

Sasuke felt the guilt. ''I thought she was just _jealous_ ,''

 

Itachi laughed. ''Little brother, she loves you, but she wouldn't go to those lengths,''

 

''So all she said, our family, but you, why, why did you lie about your death?'' Sasuke asked, unsure of how to act.

 

''It's a long story... our family has a lot going on,'' Itachi's cuts and bruises were healing as he spoke. ''A relative named Madara was trying to kill you.'' He began. ''Well, use you and then kill you, but I offered myself instead... I didn't want you involved, so, I faked my death.''

 

''But,''

 

''I know, you can hate me, or whatever, but I did it for your safety.'' Itachi sat down, watching Sakura's body heal.

 

''That doesn't explain her,'' Sasuke looked at Sakura. ''Why is **_she_** like that? Did Madara or whoever do that too?''

 

''No,'' Sai cut in. ''Sakura was hit by a car.'' He explained, rubbing his forehead. ''A few months back, Itachi saved her; but, he wasn't supposed to, given the rules of the Uchiha clan. Every Uchiha is different, some of you don't have abilities, but Itachi has the ability to heal, for the most part.'' Sai explained, and Sasuke was actually listening. ''He saved her for you.''

 

''For me? What, why?''

 

''Don't pretend like you don't know,'' Itachi removed his shirt, and grabbed a new one from his bag. ''You love her, and you know it.'' He sat back down. ''I got away from Madara, but we don't have very long. I don't have time to explain all the details to you, just know I'm sorry and I'll explain everything as soon as I know they **can't find us.'** '

 

 


	11. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't as long as I hoped, but I'm working on the next one as we speak. It just takes a bit of time because I work two jobs.

‘’You know, I expected better of you.’’ Madara’s voice echoed throughout his massive home, he was always in the same place, the same intimidating place. It was a large room, with a chair acting as if he was a _king or something_. He was technically the head of the Uchiha clan, but not a lot looked up to him like he was king. ‘’Itachi dug you and your little wife a grave,’’ He paused, smiling. ‘’Oh, well.’’  
  
  
The look of terror on Obito’s face was obvious, the gapping wounds on the right side of his body were having a hard time healing given he was in chains. ‘’Where is she!’’ Blood spurted from his mouth as he yelled, voice hoarse, his throat coated with blood – Madara was surprised he could even speak at this point. ‘’I tore her heart out, you fucking moron.’’ Standing, he moved forward toward Obito. ‘’You’re bleeding all over my floor, I just had them cleaned…’’ He ran a hand through his hair. The look of terror went from shock, to anger. ‘’YOU BASTAR-‘’ Obito felt his heart double in pace as Madara waved his hand, he was capable of all sorts, including manipulating organs. His hand was crushing his insides as he walked toward him. ‘’You really should have just told me about Itachi, instead of keeping it secret…now she’s dead, and it’s all your fault really.’’   
  
  
Obito couldn’t hold himself up anymore; he collapsed onto his knees, blood seeping from every open wound. ‘’I’m so sad, to have to see you go to waste…’’ Madara shook his head, leaning down toward Obito’s twisted face. ‘’Say hello to Rin for me,’’ Blood seeped into the floor as Obito collapsed completely, Madara’s arm covered in blood after he ripped his heart out. ‘’Such a waste…’’   
  
  
‘’Sir,’’ A voice was heard, it was one of Madara’s puppets. ‘’Sir, should I dispose of the body?’’   
  
  
‘’Bury him where _necessary_ , ‘’ He wiped his hand on his coat and sighed before biting into Obito’s heart that he held in his hand.   
  
  
  
‘’So… my family’s …clan, we have special abilities?’’ Sasuke was leaning against a wall, he wouldn’t sit beside Sakura, or anywhere near Sai. Sai on the other hand, he was hooked up to an IV – collecting blood for Sakura.   
  
  
‘’Yes, but you haven’t quite ~~developed~~ any yet.’’   
  
  
‘’Right… so why are you filling a bag up with your blood?’’  
  
  
‘’I was created by a family member who’s now dead, to serve your family basically.’’ No way would he go into details with Sasuke, he was in enough shock as it was given the whole brother being alive and Sakura being a undead zombie girl.   
  
  
‘’Right...’’ Sasuke looked at Sakura; her wounds were almost healed by this point. ‘’So, that pendant…’’ His eyes traced the length of her body. ‘’Is keeping Sakura alive,’’  
  
  
‘’Yes, so **don’t** take it from her again.’’   
  
  
Sasuke stared at the floor. ‘’I thought she was just _~~jealous~~_ ,’’ Running a hand through his hair, he headed for the door. ‘’I need air.’’  
  
  
‘’don’t go far,’’ Sai warned. ‘’Itachi will be back soon,’’   
  
  
Voices were muffled, pain resided and Sakura jolted upright. ‘ **’I WAS TOTALLY DEAD**!’’ Wide-eyed and breath uneven, she looked around. Both Sai and Sasuke stared at her.   
  
  
‘’Technically, yes,’’ Sai stood up, checking her over. ‘’You seem to be okay for now,’’  
  
  
‘ _’All thanks to Sasuke_ ,’’ She muttered, remembering exactly what he did. ‘’You’re an **ass** , you know that?’’ She snapped, avoiding his gaze. Sasuke however, couldn’t look away – how was she alive. The wounds, all of them…they were healed.   
  
  
‘’ _How_ …how is she alive?’’ Sasuke seriously couldn’t believe any of this.   
  
  
‘’Magic, right?’’ Sakura laughed, she’d obviously gone insane during this whole thing. ‘’This pendant is full of magical fairy dust and it’s totally keeping me alive.’’ The sarcasm was very obvious but if you were in Sasuke’s shoes, you wouldn’t know what to believe. Sakura had definitely gotten some psychological issues already from all of this.   
  
  
‘’Right…’’ Wide-eyed, he watched as Sakura moved like nothing had ever happened to her. ‘’So…magic…’’   
  
  
‘’Technically,’’ Sai explained, pulling off the blood soaked sheets and pillows. ‘’Your family has been around for a very…very long time.’’   
  
  
‘’And they drink blood but they’re not vampires,’’ Sakura added, getting a look from Sai. ‘’Well it isn’t like I’m lying,’’ She muttered before standing. ‘’I need new clothes…’’  
  
  
  
‘’We need to get rid of these blankets.’’ Sai explained, meanwhile, Sasuke just stood there looking the most confused. ‘’Where’s Itachi anyway?’’ Sakura asked, not caring if Sasuke knew about him or not by this point, she was beyond the point of pissed at him for technically killing her.   
  
  
‘’He went to get us a vehicle.’’ Sai explained, tossing the sheets into a bag. ‘’He shouldn’t-‘’ The door opened. ‘’-Speak of the devil.’’  
  
  
‘’Took you long enough,’’ Sakura mumbled, avoiding Sasuke at all costs. ‘’I need new clothes, considering your brother destroyed mine when he killed me.’’  
  
  
Itachi looked at Sasuke, he looked past the point of confused and shocked. ‘’He reacted badly, I don’t blame him.’’ He moved into the room and packed up his stuff. ‘’We need to go,’’   
  
  
‘’so soon?’’ Sai disconnected himself from his IV and handed Sakura two blood bags. ‘’Keep these with you, just in case,’’   Sakura rolled her eyes, she hated blood now, always having to drink it at every moment.  
  
  
‘’You should have just let me die a few months ago, it isn’t like I’d be missed.’’ She pulled on a fresh shirt and pulled her hair back, a shower would have to wait.   
  
  
Sasuke watched her leave the motel and he followed. ‘’I’m guessing we’re not able to go back to classes.’’  
  
  
‘ **’No shit** ,’’ Sai said, getting into the front seat passenger side. Sasuke got into the back seat with Sakura.   
  
  
‘’I’m sorry,’’ He said quietly, but she didn’t respond, her body was turned toward the window. Itachi got in the front seat and sighed. ‘’We can’t stay here, so you won’t be able to go back to classes for a while,’’ He explained, unable to look at Sakura. ‘’We’ll be driving for a few days, so I’d suggest getting some sleep.’’   
  
  
‘’you better tell your girlfriend.’’ Sakura said sarcastically. ‘’Ino’s probably already called you at least 50 times.’’ Realistically, Sakura would never be that forward with Sasuke but considering what he did and how he’s acted up until this point, she didn’t care.   
  
  
‘’Sakura isn’t wrong…but you shouldn’t contact Ino at all,’’ Sai said, looking at him through the rearview. ‘’Madara may be tracking your phone, you should get rid of your phone.’’   
  
  
‘’Tracking my phone?’’ Sasuke looked at Itachi. ‘’Can he do that?’’  
  
  
‘’He can do a lot of things,’’ Itachi started the engine.   
  
  
They’d been driving for hours.   
  
  
‘’Where are we going?’’ Sakura groaned, her hair sticky from the amount of blood she produced, ‘’I really need a shower.’’  
  
  
‘’Don’t get your panties in a knot.’’ Sai looked at Itachi, ‘’She’s right though, we’ve been driving for hours.’’ They’d been cooped up for two days, Sakura hadn’t said two words to Sasuke since the hotel.   
  
  
‘’So, will I have to fake my death? My mom comes home in two months.’’  
  
  
‘’Then you have time still,’’ Sai explained, looking back at her. It was getting dark. ‘’Perhaps we should find somewhere to stay the night?’’  
  
  
‘’It isn’t much further,’’ Sasuke looked around, he recognized this place. ‘’Won’t uh, Mad-‘’   
  
  
‘’Madara,’’  
  
  


‘’Yeah, won’t he know where we are?’’ Itachi was bringing them to their summer vacation home, apparently only he knew where it was.  
  
  
‘’No,’’ He parked the car. ‘’This belonged to mom’s side, our father knew about it but he never brought anyone here.’’  
  
  
‘’You’re sure?’’ Sakura’s voice was hoarse, worried she would be hurt or worse…the pendant would be taken and she would die. He parked the car and looked somewhat relieved, which made everyone feel a little at ease.   
  
  
‘’I’m sure, we’re safe here… for a little while at least.’’ As long as no one had a phone that could be tracked they were.  
  
  
‘’I totally need a shower,’’ Sakura pulled herself from the car and stretched, her legs hurt from being bent for 24 hours. ‘’I hate long drives.’’  
  
  
‘’Poor you,’’ Sai shook his head, looking at Sasuke. ‘’You’re not going to run away are you?’’  
  
  
‘’He already tried,’’ Sakura muttered. ‘’Right after he pretty much killed me. Now that Itachi’s alive, I doubt he has the balls to go anywhere,’’ Rolling her eyes she dragged her stuff into the summer house, it wasn’t overly huge but it was comfortable and on a lake.   
  
  
Sasuke hung his head as he watched Sakura go into the house, Itachi nudged him. ‘’You should apologize…at some point,’’ He moved passed him and into the house. ‘’This place is dusty…’’   
  
  
‘’That’s what happens when you don’t come to a place for years….it gets dusty.’’ Sai was such an ass sometimes.  
  
  
The place was old, mostly wooden with a fire place, no television or cable, and no phones. It was mainly for spending time with family, nothing more. ‘’I haven’t been here since before…’’ Sasuke muttered, eyeing the photographs scattered on the walls and shelves, they were coated with dust.  
  
  
‘’-Before they died,’’ Itachi commented. ‘’I know, it’s been a long time huh…’’  
  
  
‘’Well, I forgot about this place,’’ Sasuke admitted. ‘’I was so…angry, ‘’  
  
  
‘ _’Boo fucking hoo_.’’ Sakura whispered, hearing their voices even from inside the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror; chewing her bottom lip she eyed the pendant. Her skin was colorful and healthy, cheeks slightly pink, and eyes round and wide…she couldn’t remember what the pain felt like and she definitely had no desire to remember, but she moved it slightly up off of her neck and the pink in her cheeks faded, and her eyes looked hollow. ‘’…. ~~I could really die~~ ….’’ She whispered, swallowing that lump in the back of her throat. Anger was evident, why did she have to be the one to get mixed up in all of this? What did it matter anyway, Sasuke was dating Ino, even though the situation was a mess…they were still a couple before all of this. Sakura never really felt like she had a purpose, she chewed her bottom lip and stepped into the shower… watching the blood circle the drain she started to feel clean…but she wasn’t, without that thing around her neck she was rotting from the inside.  
  
  
‘’So how long do you think we have to stay here?’’ Sai asked, looking over a calendar. ‘’Sakura’s mother gets home in two months…we definitely don’t want the cops involved.’’  
  
  
‘’they won’t be involved,’’ The stress on Itachi’s face wasn’t clear, but his body language through it out in the open. ‘’I won’t worry about any of that until I have to.’’  
  
  
‘’So…are we able to go back to school.’’ Sasuke asked, unsure of how to act in this situation. Itachi sighed,  
  
  
‘’I can’t answer that right now Sasuke.’’   
  
  
‘’We can’t stay here forever,’’ Sakura intervened coming out of the shower, her hair the normal pink it was before the blood stain. ‘’My mother will call the cops if I’m missing.’’   
  
  
‘’No shit.’’ Sai laughed. ‘’We’ll figure it out. We’re safe for now, so you may as well relax.’’   
  
  
‘’I can’t relax, Sasuke may try to kill me again,-‘’  
  
  
‘’Would you **fucking** stop that?’’ He barked, glaring at her. ‘’It wasn’t like I did it on purpose.’’  
  
  
‘’No, you just thought I was _THAT fucking jealous_ that I would make up some crazy ass lie to get in your head…you’re so right Sasuke, I’m just a manipulative bitch.’’ She rolled her eyes and left the living room. Itachi was giving his brother a look.   
  
  
‘’-What? She can’t keep saying I killed her.’’   
  
  
‘’I can understand…but, Sakura isn’t exactly alive… she’s afraid, can you blame her?’’ Itachi definitely couldn’t. ‘’Without that pendant, or my blood, she will definitely revert, and she will **die**.’’   
  
  
Sasuke was silent, without that pendant…she would definitely be gone and _something about that fact really bothered_ Sasuke, not that he would admit it out loud.   



	12. Chance Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is short as well, but I'm adding more as we speak!
> 
> Hope you're enjoying.

 

’What’s wrong Ino? You look **awfully sad** today.’’ Tenten slid beside her in the cafeteria, it was lunch time, but a lot of the students were outside in the sun, who could blame them. 

Ino was holding her phone, her knuckles white from holding it so tightly. ‘’Sasuke hasn’t been in school in the past _two days_ … and he **won’t** pick up his phone,’’ She looked rather sad as she spoke. ‘’I don’t know where he is, and I can’t get a hold of Sakura either.’’ Sighing, she looked at Tenten. ‘’Am I just being stupid and overthinking?’’

‘’Well no,’’ She smiled. ‘’I don’t think so, maybe you should go to his place after school?’’

‘’Doesn’t that come off as … I don’t know, _pathetic_?’’ 

Tenten laughed, she wasn’t a fan of girl talk – she never had anything to give because of her lack of experience. ‘’Just go to his house and stop worrying so much.’’ 

‘’-Tenten **is right ya’know** ,’’ Naruto was across from them. ‘’-Infact, I’ll come with you, Sasu-cakes hasn’t answered me in three days!!! And he hasn’t been to classand Sakura too. I say after class we go straight to their houses.’’ He gave her a thumbs up and smiled, stretching ear to ear….stupid. 

After class, Naruto kept his promise. He met Ino by her locker. ‘’already to go?’

’ 

Ino grabbed her backpack as she closed her locker. ‘’I don’t know, I feel like I shouldn’t be doing this,’’ 

‘’Why not,’’ 

‘’Because he may think I’m…needy,’’ She hung her head. Naruto laughed, hands behind his head as they headed for the exit. ‘’I don’t understand you women…always so worried about us guys,’’ He laughed again. ‘’It’s silly to be so worked up about it,’’ 

Ino stared at him…she never really paid attention to Naruto, not really. 

The walk to Sasuke’s place was mainly Naruto talking and joking about women…but Ino didn’t really find it funny. ‘’I haven’t heard from Sakura-chan either and that’s REALLY unlike her ya’know.’’

‘’Yeah I know,’’ Ino stopped walking and talking when she saw the front door to Sasuke’s place. It was broken in, and the door was cracked in two. Some windows were broken, and there was no police tape. The smile on Naruto’s face faded. ‘’…What the hell!!’’ Without thinking or anything he bolted into the house yelling. ‘’Sasuke!!! **SASUKE!! ARE YOU IN HERE? ARE YOU OKAY**!-‘’

 

‘ _’IDIOT!_ DO YOU WANT TO GET KILLED?!’’ Ino yelled in a whisper, running after him.

Inside of Sasuke’s place everything was torn apart and knocked over. ‘’..Man… ‘’ Naruto stepped over broken glass. ‘’…what the hell…’’ He looked left and right. ‘’Sasuke?’’ He called again, wandering down the hall to his room. The house wasn’t exactly big, just a bungalow. The house before this one was much larger, but since his parents died, this was all that he could afford with help from the government… ‘’What the fuck,’’ Naruto looked in terror when he saw Sasuke’s room, everything was thrown upside down or worse. 

 

Ino was shaken. ‘’…What the ….why, what happened?’’ Her voice was barely audible. Naruto looked at her, and then back at the room. ‘’-We should leave Ino,’’ He felt something in his gut. ‘’Like now,’’ Grabbing her arm, he pulled her out of the closet exit which was the window, they jumped out and Naruto leaned against the outside of the house to listen in. 

 

He heard footsteps and then voices…but the voices weren’t friendly. ‘’Madara is going to have our fucking heads if we don’t find them,’’ 

‘’Yeah well, Itachi isn’t exactly fucking stupid,’’ Another voice. ‘’We can’t have them getting too far, Orochimaru said he tracked them to a motel outside of town, and Sasuke’s cell phone broken a few miles from there heading west.’’ He explained, looking left and right. 

The color in Naruto’s face drained at the mention of Itachi’s name, he couldn’t piece it together. 

‘’Some fucking chick is with them too, the one Obito’s wife gave the pendant to, to keep her from rotting,’’ Another voice added. ‘’Did you find who was in here?’’ 

‘’No, I feel like they snuck out a window when they heard us.’’ 

Naruto’s hand covered Ino’s mouth, she looked just as puzzled. 

‘’We better go report this to Madara,’’ 

 

\--

Naruto waited about ten minutes before pulled Ino through the woods in the back of Sasuke’s house, and even further until they were a good distance away from those sketchy characters. 

‘’What the hell is going on!’’ Ino yelled. ‘’Itachi? Who’s Itachi! And what about Sasuke!’’ 

Naruto shook his head. ‘’This doesn’t make sense,’’ He mumbled, staring at his feet. The two of them standing on a sidewalk in the middle of the city. ‘’…why did they mention Itachi, Itachi has been dead…. Forever, and Sasuke…at least he’s safe…’’ He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get his thoughts together. ‘’Ino, we need to leave,’’ 

‘’What? Why!? Those guys will **kill us!!’’**

‘’They don’t know that we know,’’ He said, pulling out his phone he smashed it on the ground. ‘’Give me your phone Ino,’’ 

‘’What? NO way! This is ridiculous, I’m going home!’’ She went to run and Naruto grabbed her arm. ‘’Ino, Sasuke is in serious trouble…do you want to help him or not?’’ 

Tears streamed down her terrified face. ‘’Y-Yes… I want to help..but Naruto, those guys!’’ 

‘’Shutup! – I know okay! I know!! But we can’t just fucking do nothing ya know! We have to help! Especially if Sakura is with him.’’ 

Naruto had always had feelings for Sakura, but he’d never confess, not outloud. ‘’Now give me your phone,’’ He demanded, and she listened. Smashing both their phones he grabbed her arm and looked in his wallet. ‘’I have fifty bucks and my bank card… but they may be able to track that too, do you have any cash?’’ 

‘’No,’’ Ino cried, tears still streaming as they walked along. ‘’I don’t,’’ 

‘’We need a car,’’ He muttered, unable to think straight. ‘’We’ll check my place first, but it’s likely they know where I live,’’ He thought for a second. ‘’I know where they’re going, at least I think I do,’’ 

Ino looked confused. ‘’How do you know where they are?’’ 

‘’Sasuke use to talk about this summer home … somewhere west, I’ve never been there but it’s not super far…’’ That was a lie, the summer home was two days away. ‘’We’ll get my car, and head in that direction.’’ 

 

\--

‘’How are you feeling today Sakura,’’ 

‘’How do you think,’’ Sakura looked at Sai who was filling up another blood bag, he was making her drink them just in case something happened to the pendant. ‘’I’m dead.’’

‘’You’re not really-‘’ 

‘’Yes I am,’’ She snapped, who could blame her. ‘’I’m dead, and it’s my own fault for getting hit by that stupid car, Itachi should have left me to rot, I would have been better off, if I hadn’t been involved, Sasuke wouldn’t have found out about Itachi, Obito and Rin would still be alive, and all would be right in the world.’’ – She really had snapped. 

‘’…Well, you’re not wrong.’’ Sai said. ‘’But there’s no use feeling bad about it.’’ 

 

 

Sakura wanted to punch him like 99% of the time, but it was at 100% in this moment. ‘’You know, someone’s going to punch you one day…’’ 

‘’I look forward to that day,’’ He laughed, crazy bastard.

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed herself up from where she sat. ‘’I need a shower,’’ She hadn’t felt clean since before the accident, it was the little fact in the back of her mind that she had actually died that day, and it was some weird magical shit keeping her alive. It was the Uchiha blood, reading the book about the family she learned in the pendant was infused with the blood of the clan, and some weird ritual was performed thousands of years ago…but who really know how it was keeping her alive. There was no scientific reason. Hot showers always felt nicer than before, she couldn’t explain it…but even still she didn’t feel clean. 

 

The water was always boiling, even before her death day. She wanted to remove the pendent, and wash away all the blood and clean out her wounds, but…she would definitely die if she tried. Sighing, she tip toed out and wrapped a towel around her body, eyeing the pendant…Rin didn’t have to wear it, she mentioned something about being married in…was there some kind of ritual preformed when an Uchiha was married that kept the women alive? She chewed her lip and wandered down to Itachi’s room. ‘’So…how come Rin was able to live without the pendant?’’ 

  
  


‘’Pardon?’’ 

  
  
‘’You know, Obito’s wife…before your crazed relative killed her…how did she live without the pendant.’’ 

  
  
‘’When you marry into the Uchiha family-‘’

  
  
‘’But she was like me,’’ 

  
  
Itachi nodded, continuing. ‘’Rin suffered a lot worse injuries…but her and Obito were dating before that anyway, and Madara knew about her, he actually somewhat approved or else the ritual wouldn’t have taken place.’’ He rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘’When you marry into our clan…they perform a ritual, basically making you immortal…unless you betray the clan, your husband to be, or worse.’’ He laughed. ‘’There’s a lot of unwritten rules, but the main rule you simply cannot break is betrayal…and she did,’’ He looked sad as he spoke. ‘’By letting you take the pendant,’’ 

  
  
‘’But how did Madara find out,’’ 

  
  
‘’He has spies,’’ Itachi said. ‘’But that’s all I know of it.’’ 

  
  
Sakura sighed. ‘’So basicallyyou’re saying I’m screwed given the situation,’’ 

  
  
The silence from Itachi gave her the answer she didn’t want, she pulled on a pair of pants and fresh shirt and went back into the kitchen where Sai still sat. ‘’We need food, is there a grocery store or something near here?’’  


  
‘’I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go out,’’ Sai explained. ‘’You may be found out,’’ 

  
  
‘’I’ll be fine,’’ Sakura rolled her eyes. ‘’I’ll make Sasuke come with me,’’ She looked at him sitting in the living room. ‘’We’ll wear disguises.’’ 

  
  
‘’Who? Me?’’ Sasuke looked back at them. ‘’There’s a small shop fifteen minutes from here,’’ He explained, pushing himself up. 

  
  
Sakura grabbed the car keys and wandered outside – Sasuke sitting in the passenger seat. They remained silent for half of the drive. ‘’I’m sorry Sakura,’’ He said…again, like a broken record.

  
  
‘’Would you please stop apologizing, I really don’t care.’’ She snapped, which only made Sasuke more pushed to apologize. 

  
  
‘’But I am,’’ 

  
  
‘’Yeah, right,’’ She pulled into the parking lot and wandered into the shop. It was cute, not busy which was convenient given their situation. Sakura grabbed at least three bags of chips and some gummies…and a frozen pizza…it wasn’t like the place had ACTUAL healthy groceries, it was a stop shop along the side of the high way. 

  
  
‘’You call that food,’’ Sasuke eyed it. ‘’I thought you wanted food,’’ 

  
  
‘’Look around, do you see any groceries?’’ She bit back, rolling her eyes. The two standing side by side at the cash. 

  
  
‘ **’There you are!!!!!!’’** Ino’s voice echoed and Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. Sasuke looked at her, and then the two of them turned only to come face to face with Ino and Naruto looking like they’ve found water after a trek in the desert. ‘’We’ve been searching for two days!!!’’ Ino ran into Sasuke’s arms, but he didn’t react. 

  
  
‘’What the hell guys!!! Teme you’ve got some explaining to do!!’’ Naruto barked.

  
  
WHAM.

  
  
‘’KEEP IT THE FUCK DOWN NARUTO,’’ Sakura hissed, her voice a loud whisper. She handed the guy cash, grabbed her things and pulled him and Ino outside so no one could hear them. ‘’What the hell are you two doing here?’’ The anger was evident, more so worry of their safety. ‘’You can’t be here,’’ 

  
  
‘’and you can?’’ Ino snapped back. ‘’What do you think you’re doing with Sasuke, Sakura? He’s **MY boyfriend** remember?’’ 

 

  
  
‘’that is completely irrelevant right now, Ino.’’ Sakura sighed and looked at Sasuke. ‘’Well, what should we do now? They found us, clearly we’re not fucking safe here either.’’ 

  
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto. ‘’Naruto knew about our summer home,’’ He explained. ‘’Well, not exactly,’’ Rubbing the back of his neck he peeled Ino off his arm. ‘’We should probably take them back to the house,’’ 

  
  
‘’What the hell is going on,’’ Naruto asked, wide-eyed and generally concerned. 

  
  
Sasuke exchanged looks with Sakura. ‘’How did you get here,’’ 

  
  
‘’We drove, but the car broke down about 20 miles back.’’ 

  
  
‘’Good, leave it.’’ Sasuke explained and walked to his car. ‘’Get in,’’ 

  
  
Once they were all in the car, Sakura started to explain the situation. ‘’It’s a long story…’’ She watched the road as Sasuke drove them back to the house. ‘’I got hit by a car, a few months ago.’’ 

  
  
‘’-Wait, that accident…that was you?’’ Ino was wide-eyed. ‘’But how? That girl died!’’

  
  
‘’Well, I technically did,’’ Sakura looked back at her. ‘’It turns out, Itachi is alive, the Uchiha blood line is some weird magical line that gives every Uchiha singular powers like healing, and they drink blood sometimes but they’re not vampires, and when I remove this pendant,-‘’ She pulled it half way over her head, and she instantly started to rot, her skin turned purple and wounds reopened. But she dropped it back down before it was too late. ‘’- I’ll die.’’ She laughed, both Naruto and Ino stared… completely in shock and confused.

  
  
‘’I’m sorry…what?’’ Naruto blinked as Sasuke pulled up to the house. ‘’…Itachi is alive?’’ He looked at Sasuke. ‘’How?’’ 

  
  
‘’It’s a long story Naruto,’’ Sasuke sighed, wandering into the house. 

  
  
Once inside, things got messy. ‘’What the hell you guys,’’ Sai snapped, still attached to an IV. ‘’Did you drive all the way into town?’’ 

  
  
‘’No,’’ Sakura snapped back. ‘’We’re not stupid, they found us.’’

  
  
‘’Found you, how?’’ 

  
  
Sasuke sat down on the couch. ‘’Turns out Naruto knew how to find us.’’

  
  
‘’-But no one else knows…right?’’

  
  
‘’No, spaz, relax.’’ Sakura snapped, sitting across from Sasuke. 

  
  
Ino sat beside Sasuke and attached herself to his arm. ‘’I’m so glad you’re okay-‘’

  
  
‘’Of course I’m okay, what are you talking about?’’ 

  
  
‘’-Well..’’ She looked at Naruto. ‘’When we went to your place,-‘’

  
  
‘’When we went to your place, it was broken into.’’ Naruto said, staring at the floor. ‘’We overheard some voices talking about needing to find you,’’ 

  
  
‘’Shit,’’ Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and looked at Itachi. ‘’What do we do now?’’

  
  
‘’Naruto, you weren’t followed were you?’’ Itachi asked, looking calm but his eyes told a different story.

  
  
‘’No….No, not at all.’’ Naruto couldn’t look at Itachi, it was too weird for him to begin with. ‘’This is too weird,’’ 

  
  
‘’Well no shit,’’ Sakura laughed. ‘’This whole thing is fucked up, you shouldn’t have got yourself involved.’’  
  
  
‘’Who are you to say anything?’’ Ino looked upset, like she’d been crying since they left. ‘’We were worried!!!’’

  
  
‘’For who? Me? Clearly not Ino, you were just oh so worried about Sasuke and your little crush on him.’’ Sakura laughed again and pushed herself up. ‘’You two are going to get us found out, and then I’m definitely dead. Do you understand that? This,’’ She held up the pendant. ‘’This thing is the only thing keeping me alive, and if they find it, do you know what they’ll do Ino? They’ll take it, and I’ll be dead.’’ Though it was uncalled for, Sakura was just afraid – she was really afraid to die. 

  
  
Ino looked confused, and then looked at Sasuke. ‘’Is she telling the truth?’’ 

  
  
‘’Yeah,’’ Sasuke rubbed his face. ‘’This isn’t a joke…you guys sure you weren’t followed?’’

  
  
‘’I was pretty careful.’’ Naruto explained. ‘’We waited, and my car was at school so,’’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘’We would have been caught by now if they were following us ya know,’’

  
  
‘’Naruto’s right, Madara’s men aren’t stupid.’’ Sai said, unhooking the IV, he tossed a blood bag to Sakura. ‘’Drink that,’’ 

  
  
‘’Do I have to?’’ 

  
  
Sai didn’t answer her. ‘’Well, we’re safe here…for now at least, right?’’ He looked at Itachi. ‘’-We’re safe here for now, right?’’ 

  
  
‘’Yeah,’’ Though they were safe for the time being…Itachi wasn’t sure how long it would be until they found them.   


  
\--   
  
‘’I still can’t believe you died in that accident Sakura-chan! I heard about it on the news and everything.’’ Naruto was sitting on her bed in one of the guest rooms, they had a bag of chips open and were chatting. 

  
  
‘’Yeah…’’ Sakura eyed the pendant around her neck, the thing wasn’t overly huge or noticeable but, at least it wasn’t heavy. ‘’…None of this feels real…Naruto,’’ She looked at him. ‘’I’m scared,’’ 

  
  
Naruto popped a few gummies into his mouth. ‘’Well I’m here now, and I won’t let anything happen to you, believe it!’’ 

  
  
She smiled, she couldn’t help it. ‘’Thanks… do you mind?I just sort of want to be alone right now,’’ 

  
  
‘’Sure,’’ He grinned. ‘’Sweet dreams!!’’ 

  
  
Ino was still sitting with Sasuke on the couch; everyone else was doing their own thing. ‘’I was so worried,’’ She spoke softly, not really wanting anyone but Sasuke to hear her sweet whispers. ‘’I thought you may have been in some kind of serious trouble…nothing like this though,’’ 

  
  
Sasuke didn’t have his arm around her; she was just latched onto him. ‘’I’m fine, you shouldn’t have come Ino,’’ He said, staring outside. ‘’You could get hurt.’’ 

  
  
‘’Do you not want me here,’’ Looking up at him, she looked sad…but something else was there, she leaned in as if she were to kiss him but Sasuke pushed himself up. He couldn’t stop thinking about Sakura, and how mangled her body was when he removed the pendant. ‘’You shouldn’t have come, it’s not safe.’’ Naruto plopped down on the other couch. ‘’Sakura’s so sad, I wish I could help her.’’

  
  
‘’Well you can’t,’’ Sasuke moved away from both of them and went upstairs. 

 

  
Ino looked at Naruto. ‘’I don’t think he wants me here, he said I shouldn’t have come,’’  


 

  
‘’Well no,’’ Naruto laughed, trying to make light of the situation. ‘’We shouldn’t have but, I’m not the type of person to just leave him on his own ya know,’’ 

 

\--

Sakura eyed Sasuke standing in the doorway. ‘’What do you want,’’ She snapped, still angry with him. ‘’Can’t you just leave me alone, it’s annoying when you keep trying to apologize,’’ 

‘ **’I’m not here to apologize** ,’’ Sasuke eyed her moving around. 

‘’Then what are you here for? Isn’t your precious Ino downstairs waiting for you?’’ She moved passed him but he grabbed her arm.

Sasuke moved slowly and then all at once. He pushed her against the wall, pinning her there with his weight as his lips crashed down on hers. Wide-eyed and confused, Sakura used what strength she had left from a very exhausting day and pushed him away. ‘’W-What are you doing!’’ 

It wasn’t a matter of conversation.

Sasuke pushed her back against the wall, his hands curled around her wrists – pinning them above her head as his mouth crashed down on hers a second time.

 

The passion was evident as sparks flew between the two of them.  



	13. Transfusion

Sakura was losing her temper – though she dreamed of kissing Sasuke the majority of her teenage life, the situation made no sense. His lips against hers felt hot, she kissed him back – like she couldn’t help it, almost as if it were a natural instinct. Sasuke’s knuckles were turning white against the wall, holding her there as his body pressed hard against hers. Sakura screamed at herself. There was a light knock at the door, she froze and so did he.

  
  
‘’Sakura,’’ – It was Itachi. ‘’When you have a minute, I want to try something for your condition…’’ – Fear ran through her, thinking he would come in the door but he didn’t…when she heard footsteps fade away, Sasuke smiled into her mouth. What was so funny? She wanted to kick him and kiss him all at once, her entire body was on fire – she wanted him, there was no denying that.

  
  
  
Downstairs, Ino and Naruto still sat across from one another – Ino was staring at her feet. ‘’Do you think I made a mistake coming here,’’

  
  
Naruto looked up, realizing what she had said was for him. ‘’Uh, whadda mean Ino?’’ He blinked, confused.

  
  
‘’I mean…’’ She twiddled her thumbs. ‘’-I feel like Sasuke-kun doesn’t care that I’m here,’’

  
  
‘’Well…’’ Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, getting looks from Sai who was sitting at the table nearby with an IV in his wrist…again. It gave Naruto the creeps. ‘’Well, he isn’t really focused on us right now,’’

  
  
Talk no jutsu was Naruto’s thing.

  
  
‘’He just found out Itachi is alive, some crazed family member wants him dead, and his longtime friend may or may not be dying…..ya know,’’ He nervously smiled. ‘’I wouldn’t be focused on you either, if I was in his shoes.’’

  
  
‘’Maybe be a little selfless instead of selfish, Ino.’’ Sai said, a little too bluntly. ‘’This isn’t just about you.’’

  
  
‘’Do you have to be so harsh, Sai?’’ It was a little harsh, even for Sai. Naruto moved so he was sitting beside her. ‘’Don’t worry too much, Sasu-cakes just has a lot on his mind.’’

  
  
Back upstairs, Sasuke’s shirt was off and his pants were unbuttoned. Sakura was still pinned to the wall; her face was flushed with red from kissing and her lips swollen. The want was overwhelming, but why was he even coming on to her like this. She couldn’t think properly, the urge to bite his neck kicked in and she felt hazy, almost like she’d pass out if she didn’t bite into his neck. So much for non vampires.

  
  
She bit down and Sasuke went stiff for a moment before pressing his body into hers – she turned a brighter shade of red when she felt something hard pressing into her pelvis. Blood trickled into her mouth and just like when it first started, her eyes turned red, blood red. Sasuke’s moved his hips between her legs, causing Sakura to moan a little too loudly. Her eyes shot open and she pulled away, and clamped her hand over his bite… it healed, a little too quickly. The haze in Sasuke’s eyes faded and he snapped out of it quicker than when he went into it. His eyes were on her mouth as his lips crashed down on hers, Sakura pushed him backward so she was unpinned from the wall, and he landed on the bed – the push definitely caught him off guard. ‘’W-We can’t,’’ She shook her head, eyes wide. ‘’You – You’re dating Ino, and you don’t even care if I live or die!’’ She wiped her mouth with her arm and through his shirt at him. ‘’This isn’t right! ‘’

  
  
Sasuke’s smile faded. ‘’No, it’s not.’’ He slipped his shirt over his head, and ran a hand through his hair. He did care, he cared more than he wanted to admit and it was eating him alive. The idea of her…even the slightest thought of her not being alive, or around tore at his insides. ‘’You should see what my brother wants,’’

  
  
 – WHY WAS HE SO CALM. Sakura’s inner was screaming, she wanted to hit him, to break him in two. ‘’Right,’’ Staring at him a minute more, she fastened her pants and pulled on her shirt. ‘’You probably shouldn’t do this anymore…it’s giving me whiplash.’’ Rolling her eyes, she went to leave – but again, he grabbed her wrist and turned her toward him…but this time, this time he embraced her tightly. ‘’I don’t…’’ He started, but he didn’t finish – he just moved away from her, and left her in another confused state.

  
  
‘’What the fuck…’’ She shook her head, brushed out her hair, and wandered downstairs. ‘’Where’s Itachi?’’ She looked at Sai. ‘’Earlier he said he wanted to try something,’’

  
  
‘’He’s in the basement.’’ Sai explained, looking more pale than usual.

  
  
‘’You should stop taking your blood,’’ Sakura mumbled. ‘’You’re looking a little paler than usual.’’

  
  
Sasuke sat across from Ino and Naruto. ‘’Well look who’s back! Where’d you go Sasu-cakes!’’

  
  
‘’Just to lie down,’’ – He was only half lying. Ino wouldn’t look at him, she was still upset.

  
  
Sakura wandered into the basement, Itachi had his blood hooked up to an IV. ‘’Uh…what are you doing?’’ Sakura eyed him.

  
  
‘’All finished with Sasuke?’’ Itachi asked.

  
How did he know? Sakura blinked. ‘’Um…yeah, he’s giving me whiplash.’’

 

  
‘’Sasuke’s really bad at showing how he feels.’’

  
  
‘’Well he kissed me…and then got all cold, and then we made out …things got heated, and then he got cold…again, and then he hugged me, and sort of started to say something… but then left. Can you explain that?’’ Sakura rubbed her head.

 

  
  
Itachi couldn’t help but laugh. ‘’Come here,’’

  
  
‘’Why?’’

  
  
‘’ I want to try to infuse your blood with mine.’’

  
  
‘’So I don’t have to wear this pendant?’’ She moved beside him as he hooked her arm to the same blood bag. ‘’Yeah, but I don’t know if it’ll work.’’  He paused. ‘’Your eyes are red… did you bite Sasuke again?’’

 

  
She turned red. ‘’ I couldn’t help myself…’’ …. She really couldn’t, it was like a second nature to her now.

  
  
''Well then...'' Itachi didn't bother asking anymore than he already had. He knew they were alone, and he knew there was no point in stopping them...given fate was in the matter of things and all, there was no stopping the inevitable. ''Come here,''

  
  
Holding what looked to be a long tube, part of it connected to his arm, the other was in his hand. ''Hook this to a vein in your arm,'' 

  
  
''Wait,'' Sakura eyed the tub and his arm hesitating. ''Wait, won't my blood mix in with yours...won't that kill you?''

  
  
''No,'' Itachi explained, gesturing for her to sit. ''I'm an Uchiha by Blood, I can't possibly have what you have. I heal very fast.'' 

  
  
Sakura felt her blood boiling for just a moment...why couldn't he have thought of this sooner? They could have avoided using the pendant at all. ''Why didn't we do this before you even got the pendant from Rin? Now they're both dead....''

   
  
The guilt was more than obvious on Sakura's face as Itachi shrugged, putting a needle into her arm. ''Because if I had of tried this before, you would've just reverted regardless.''

   
  
He paused, knowing how weird that sounded. ''I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner, Sakura.'' He wouldn't look at her as he watched his own blood mix with hers. ''My blood wasn't strong enough...but with my blood transfused into yours...there could be a chance...'' 

  
  
''But it's not certain...'' She sighed. 

  
  
The blood was dark, darker than Sakura had ever seen...must've been their blood specifically given it's healing powers and all. ''Maybe this will work...'' She wasn't hopeful, she couldn't be...not now, not after all the near death experiences she had. ''How long do I have to sit here...''

  
  
''An hour,'' He was grinning, cheeky bastard. ''May as well tell me what's on your mind,'' 

  
  
What was with his conversation skills...nothing was wrong, nothing she wanted to voice out loud anyway. ''Come on, I know you want to talk about it.'' 

  
  
''I don't want to talk about it.'' Avoiding his gaze, she watched the blood pump into her. ''Not with you.'' 

  
  
''Oh, why not...''

 

  
''Because.'' 

  
  
He chuckled and shook his head. ‘’He loves you,’’

  
  
The statement made Sakura laugh, she couldn’t help it…she cracked week ago. ‘’Love? He’s giving me whiplash. Sasuke doesn’t love me, he never has.’’

  
  
‘’I know he does.’’ Itachi laughed. ‘’Even without the whole fated soulmates deal.’’

  
  
‘’If Sasuke truly loved me he wouldn’t have dated Ino, he would have believed me when I told him what was going on, and he wouldn’t have took the only thing keeping me breathing.’’ Sakura removed the tub from her arm in anger. ‘’This isn’t going to work. Madara will find me, and he’ll kill me and then you, and most likely everyone involved in this whole thing.’’

  
  
Itachi watched her storm off, it hadn’t been a full hour or anything…but he needed her to remove the pendant.

  
  
It had to be at least midnight by the time all of what happened had, Sakura crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling. She was already dead.

  
  
The next few days were mainly just laying low, the weather wasn’t the warmest but Itachi still went for swims whenever he could in the lake…the cold water didn’t bother him like it would a normal human being….what was normal nowadays anyway. Definitely not this situation, not in the slightest… Sakura managed to pull herself out of bed every day, still not removing the pendant.

  
  
‘’You look well rested Sakura-chan,’’ Naruto was sitting barefoot on the floor of the living room with a bowl of noodles…go figure. When wasn’t he eating noodles, ‘’Oh um…thanks I guess,’’ ….What did he mean? She moved away and wandered into the nearest washroom…she did look rested, more so than a few days ago. The lines under her eyes were gone, and her hair seemed fuller. Did the transfusion work?

  
  
  
''Itachi!!!'' She ran out of the washroom down the hall to his room, no luck. ''Itachi! I need your help!!'' She ran downstairs, Ino was passed out on the couch, Naruto eating noodles... she sighed. ''Where's Itachi?'' 

  
  
''Outside,'' 

  
  
Sakura ran outside and saw him coming back from the lake with Sasuke...what were they up to. She shook her head, it wasn't important. ''Itachi,'' Running over to him, she half-smiled. ''I think the transfusion may have worked.'' 

  
  
''Should we test it?'' He eyed the pendant. ''If it doesn't work, you'll revert very quickly Sakura, are you sure?''

  
  
No, No she wasn't. This whole scenario was something out of a horror flick. ''I'm obviously not sure, but we need to try.'' 

  
  
If she did revert, it would take her hours to return to normal. ''If this doesn't work, just...could you maybe try to soak up some of my blood a little better this time?'' 

  
  
''Don't be so morbid,'' Itachi looked at Sai and then Sasuke, they were in the kitchen. ''Alright, lets see if this works.'' 

 

  
Sakura removed the pendant, and nothing happened...not straight away. 

  
  
Her skin remained the same shade as before, but her eyes turned grey and lifeless and the wounds on her head and back started to soak through her clothes. ''...Sakura, how do you feel?'' 

  
  
''My side hurts.'' She shrugged, ''And my head, but that's it.'' 

  
  
Sasuke watched her body struggle for a moment. ''Did it work Itachi?'' 

  
  
''It looks to be working,'' He rubbed his neck. ''We should keep trying with the transfusion.'' 

  
  
Sakura felt somewhat relieved, when she put the pendant on it healed her within moments of them standing there. ''It'll be nice when I don't have to wear this thing...'' She looked up, seeing Sasuke staring at her - she took his arm. ''Could I speak to you in private?'' 

  
  
  
Once they were alone, Sakura paced the room while Sasuke leaned against a nearby wall. It was quiet for a few minutes, she didn't know how to talk to him. 

  
  
''You know, you have some nerve...'' She started, but shook her head. ''-No, I'm not going to get mad at you,'' Walking toward him, he moved toward her. ''Do you care for me Sasuke? Because I'm really confused and I'd really like it if you could just maybe make things easier...just for the time being. I can't deal with whiplash on top of being half-dead and having your crazy relatives after my head.'' 

  
  
The situation wasn't the best. 

  
  
''I just... need to know, because the idea that I could possibly die, and the fact that I'm already technically dying...'' Her sad eyes met his, Sakura was really scared, but so was he. Her voice cracked as she spoke. ''I need to know,'' 

  
  
  
Sasuke moved and wrapped his arms around her without a word, and they stood there in silence. 

 


	14. So this is where it ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't super long, I've just been pretty busy. More to come :)

''Sir, the last we heard tell of them was at a small stop shop outside of town.'' 

  
  
''and did you continue searching or did you come all the way back here to tell me this?'' Madara stared down the hired worker, he paid them too much but they did dirty work. ''That girl is wearing our family's most valuable possession...'' His long fingers curled around the no names neck, his long claws digging into his skin. ''If you useless men don't find her,'' His blood red eyes evident as he threw the guy to the ground. ''Stop wasting my fucking time and find them.'' 

  
  
...   
  
''We only just got here,'' Sakura's voice cracked as she watched Itachi move around the room, he knew they were on their track and they had to move and fast. ''This isn't a game Sakura, they know which direction we went.'' 

  
  
Itachi had saw Madara's men at the tiny shop just a short drive from where they were now. ''We can't be found, do you understand?'' He looked at up and down. ''I don't know how long we have, we need to leave and now.'' 

  
  
''Why don't we just leave the pendant, that's all he wants right?'' She removed it from her neck, after Itachi completely transfused her blood with his - the effects only lasted a few hours at most. ''I'll be fine as long as I keep drinking blood,'' 

 

  
**''You'll die.'** ' 

  
  
Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to look at Itachi. 

 

  
''You'll die Sakura,'' 

  
  
Ino exchanged glances with Naruto. ''Should we split up? Maybe confuse them,'' 

  
  
''No.'' Itachi shook his head, the panic was real and evident on his face. ''We can't risk anyone being hurt.'' He threw Sai his bag and grabbed keys. ''Let's go.'' 

  
  
They all managed to pile in the giant SUV, not obvious at all.... 

  
  
Sakura swallowed, this was all her fault...she figured she'd be better off dead, and everyone could've went on living their lives instead of all this. 

  
  
Itachi was in a panic, which in turn made everyone else panic.  Sasuke though, he didn't say much of anything during this whole turn of events. 

  
  
They drove for miles, hours, days... Sakura couldn't tell, they barely stopped. 

  
  
''How much longer do we have to drive,'' Naruto groaned, attempting to get comfortable in the back, this was his third attempt. ''I mean we've been driving for days..... ''

  
  
''You should've just stayed home.'' Sakura snapped. ''You'd be safer there.''

  
  
''You're one to talk ya know! Why would you keep this kind of a thing secret. We're your best friends Sakura.'' 

  
  
' **'Shut up Naruto**.'' Sasuke snapped, staring out the window. 

  
  
Sai exchanged looks with Itachi. ''We should stop somewhere, even if it's the middle of nowhere... we could park the SUV off road...'' 

  
  
It wasn't exactly a bad idea, they passed a few towns already. It wasn't like Madara's men were that bright considering they still hadn't found them. ''Alright, there's a tent and a few sleeping bags in the trunk.'' 

  
  
''You _sure as hell_ came prepared.'' 

  
  
''I had to,'' Itachi shrugged, looking at Sakura in the rearview before pulling off road and driving a little too far into the woods. Luckily the trees were thick and once inside, you couldn't even spot the road. ''We can stay here for the night,''

   
  
Sakura jumped out of the car and stretched, her bones cracking. ''It smells nice out here...'' She trailed off, Sasuke walking by her...they hadn't spoken since the other day, she didn't know what to say, and apparently neither did he.  ''I'm going to gather some wood.'' 

  
  
''You shouldn't go alone, Sasuke go with her.'' Itachi explained, unpacking the car. 

  
  
''I'll go too,'' - It was Ino, but Itachi shook his head. ''No, two is enough. Ino you and Naruto can help me unpack.''

  
  
''What about Sai?'' 

  
  
''Sai's on lookout.'' Itachi eyed him, he was walking toward the road, just enough that he couldn't be seen by anyone.

   
  
Sakura and Sasuke walked in silence for at least twenty minutes, picking up small logs and sticks...a lot of it was damp though. ''This is useless,'' Sasuke muttered, poking around for anything dry. 

  
  
''Well I could just give myself up to your crazed relatives, it isn't like I'd be missed or anything.'' - Sakura shrugged, and stopped walking when she saw Sasuke stop. ''What's your **problem?''**

  
  
''Yeah, just go give yourself up to my crazed relative, then he'll come for the rest of us.'' Sasuke spat, why was he so mad? 

  
  
Sakura rolled her eyes and continued walking. ''I'm getting really _sick_ of your mood swings Sasuke. '' She moved passed him and he grabbed her wrist... now what? Another one of his weird almost speeches? 

  
  
He pulled her with him, going deeper into the woods. ''Hey! Come on, we can't travel that far from camp or we'll get lost!''  No matter how much she yelled at him, he pulled her further into the woods, the trees were bigger, and whatever voices from the others were so faded you almost couldn't hear.  Sasuke slammed her up against a large oak. ''Are you that fucking stupid?'' He hissed. 

  
  
Sakura, wide-eyed and confused felt her temper spiking in the pit of her stomach. ''Yes Sasuke, **I'm stupid**. I'm stupid for getting hit by a car and causing all of this bull shit - I most definitely wanted ALL of this to happen.'' - The urge to hit him came over her, and she went to strike, he caught her mid smack, he had a twisted smirk on his face. 

  
  
''What are you smiling for?'' 

  
  
Sasuke didn't say another word, he just pinned her to the tree, his mouth closing down over hers. Eyes wide, and hands pushing up against his chest - she pushed him away once. ''Are you mad?!'' She wiped her mouth, but he just closed the space between them a second time. This time she did smack him, and hard. ''Get a grip! You're with Ino!'' It was useless, he pinned her arms this time and closed the space between them, he didn't kiss her, he pressed his forehead against hers.  Both breathing heavily as they stood there, there was a lump in the back of Sakura's throat as she tried to understand. 

  
  
' _'I love you_ ,'' He breathed, those dark eyes transfixed on emerald. Had she just heard him right? 

  
  
''W-What...'' Sakura's bottom lip trembled, she felt the lump in the back of her throat grow in size as she tried to swallow it. Sasuke leaned forward and kissed her, hard. 

  
Sakura didn't push him away this time, her hands wrapped up and snaked through the back of his hair. 

  
  
The back of the tree dug into her skin as he pushed her hard against it, to keep her upright. His hands wandered up and down her body, sliding up her shirt, feeling her skin against his finger tips. 

  
  
Their breathing uneven, Sakura's mouth started to ache for something she knew too well - so much for not being vampires.

   
  


Sasuke dipped his head down to her neck and kissed and nipped along the curve down to her collar bone, her skin was sweet. Sakura felt goose bumps travel up and down her spine, thighs and stomach as he pressed his hips firmly against hers. Was this really happening? 

  
  
Her breathing caught when she felt his fingers unbutton her jeans, sliding his hand down between her legs - she was in a trance as he slid his fingers under the fabric of her underwear, pleasure pooling - her mouth met his a second time with more force, more want - She moaned into his mouth, she couldn't help it. ''I want you...'' His voice trembled against her lips as her fingers fumbled with the belt on his pants, their lips never parted. 

  
  
Sasuke lifted her leg so it was up around his waist, their eyes met briefly before he slid himself between her legs, Sakura's entire body was on fire with each thrust. The pain in her back subsided as his head hung against her shoulder, fingers curling into her thigh - Sakura's mouth ached, she bit down hard into his neck - in turn only causing him to pound into her harder than before. Her moans were muffled as the metallic liquid poured down her throat, but it only made things more interesting. Lifting her up away from the tree, he laid her on the ground. The grass felt damp as it sunk into her skin, sending shivers throughout her as he hovered above her, slipping himself back between her legs, lips crashing down on hers. The taste of his own blood coated his tongue and his heart hammered faster. 

  
  
Sakura was a virgin, but it didn't hurt when he broke through her skin. 

  
  
Their mouths moved in sync while Sasuke thrust into her more than a hundred times, breathing constantly uneven as they moved at a steady pace. She could feel herself getting closer as her back arched and nails dug into his backside, he pushed her over the top and both of them lay there breathless, eyes closed - looking up toward the clouded sky. It looked like rain. 

  
  
She looked over at him, chest rising and falling with every breath. Blood slightly stained his mouth, but when he opened his eyes Sakura stared. ''....Your eyes...'' She pushed herself up on her arm to get a better look, finger tips trailing along his cheek. ''Your eyes are red, Sasuke.'' 

  
  
''What?'' He blinked and rubbed them - they were red like hers, but more so...symbols. ''This must be what Itachi said about your blood line, how do you feel?'' She was sitting up now, breathless. 

  
  
''I feel fine,'' He looked at her, her lips were stained and swollen with his blood, back of her head a tangled mess. ''Come here,'' It wasn't a request, he pulled her closer and picked some grass out of her hair, and wiped her lips. ''Why did you bite me?'' 

  
  
Her face turned a shade of red. ''...it's an impulse...'' 

  
  
''Right,'' Pushing himself up, he pulled her with him. Fixing his jeans, he ran a hand through his hair. ''We should get back, grab wood on the way....'' Looking her over, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. ''I meant what I said.'' 

  
  
''....What about Ino..''

  
  
''I'll deal with Ino.'' Sasuke explained, grabbing a few twigs and sticks as he headed back in the direction of camp. 

  
  
  
Sakura sighed heavily and followed closely behind him, they headed back to camp. 

  
  
  
She felt an hand grab her arm, and another cover her mouth - a chemical smell filled her senses and she blacked out seconds after, seeing Sasuke in the same position before she fell to the ground. 

 

 

''They've been gone along time...'' Itachi looked at his watch. The look on his face was panic, and then anger. ''Something isn't right,'' He looked over toward where Sai once was, he wasn't there anymore. ''Ino, Naruto, get in the car NOW.'' He yelled, and they did as instructed and jumped in the truck, Itachi was on speed mode as he started the ignition and quickly left where they were. ''We can't just leave them!!'' Naruto yelled. ''Itachi we have to go back!!!'' 

  
  
Ino was holding back obvious tears, and Naruto was in a rage as they tore onto the road. ''We have to go back!!''' 

  
  
''We can't Naruto,'' Itachi floored the gas. ''If we go back there's a high risk of someone being killed.'' 

  
  
''What? that makes no sense!!'' 

  
  
''They're after my head.'' Itachi explained. ''They're not going to kill anyone to lure me in.'' He shrugged. ''There's nothing we can do right now, we'll have to figure out a game plan...just trust me alright?'' 

 

 

As Itachi drove, the atmosphere was thick. Every one of them felt helpless...not like they could do anything right now... he just continued to drive, they couldn't stop, not now. 

  
  
Sakura felt hands on her body, and voices, but she didn't dare move. 

  
  
''This one is awfully cute.'' A male, voice hoarse like he was a smoker. ''I hope boss man doesn't kill her, she'd be fun to play with.'' 

  
  
''Keep it in your pants, we're not allowed to do anything...not yet at least.''

   
  
She was afraid to move, afraid to breathe...who were these men, what was going on...Did they work for the crazed relative? The last thing she saw - Oh god, Sasuke...what was going to happen. She could feel the lump in her throat, don't cry now... she didn't feel the pendant around her neck, this was not good. 

  
  
''So, you're the one Itachi has been keeping from me.'' Madara eyed Sasuke up and down before walking toward him. ''You're a lot younger than I thought..'' He was grinning and Sasuke was staring him down. 

  
  
''You can't just treat people this way. Let the girl go.'' 

  
  
''Aw, do you have feelings for that pathetic thing? Her body is so weak the second we removed the pendant she started reverting...if Itachi did the transfusion properly, she would've been fine to begin with...'' Madara shook his head. It turned out, a transfusion would've worked the first time had Itachi did it properly, but since he was hiding from Madara, he didn't learn how to do it properly...there was a ritual that needed to be performed that Itachi was clueless about.   
''She'll die without that pendant...'' Madara mumbled, watching the look on Sasuke's face. ''Don't be so down...we have tons of play things for you to enjoy,''   
  


 

The words Madara spoke sent Sasuke into somewhat of a blind rage, he went for Madara's face and punched him - square on, Madara didn't block, he didn't even see it coming. The impact of the punch didn't even cause a stir, except his no-named men were all in a bit of shock, watching from a distance. 

  
  
''Ha!!'' Madara touched his face lightly, skin tingling from Sasuke's hard impact. ''You're not as strong as I thought you'd be,''

   
  
Sasuke was strong, it just hadn't kicked in quite yet, Madara lifted his hand and dug his entire fist into the pit of Sasuke's stomach, long nails tearing through his flesh and organs - knowing full well he could heal, but given Sasuke hadn't reached his potential, the healing process would take a lot longer. ''Pathetic..weak, just like your father.'' Madara dug his hand further into his abdomen until Sasuke was unconscious and blood seeped from the open wound. ''Get him the fuck out of here, and put that girl in my room.'' 

  
  
All three of the no-names nodded, hauling Sasuke out of Madara's view. 

 


	15. Liquid Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to add this chapter for awhile, but someone tried hacking my account and I couldn't access my profile for awhile. Luckily, I was finally able the change my password and add another chapter. It isn't as long as I wanted it, but it's still a work in progress.

‘’Earth to Itachi,’’ Naruto’s voice made its way into Itachi’s thoughts. They didn’t drive too long, Itachi didn’t want to go too far, given the circumstances. ‘’What’s the plan? We can’t just sit around and wait. They have them!’’

  
  
‘’I told you Naruto,’’ Itachi sighed, running a hands through his hair. Naruto really didn’t understand…Madara was powerful and could kill him within seconds, without even doing anything. ‘’It isn’t that simple.’’ 

  
  
‘’What about this isn’t simple? We could call the cops, you can’t just kidnap people!!!’’ 

  
  
‘’We can’t call the cops you idiot,’’ Ino said, face red from crying…she only just stopped, both her boyfriend and best friend were gone and she was helpless. ‘’You’ don’t seem to understand, this whole situation obviously isn’t something the cops could handle.’’ 

  
  
‘’we should still call them.’’ Naruto said sternly, determined. 

  
  
‘’We can’t Naruto, in fact I can’t have you two getting hurt. You should go home, and keep it on the down low.’’ Itachi explained, handing Naruto the keys to the truck. ‘’They’ve got what they wanted, they won’t hurt you two.’’ 

  
  
‘’No way!’’ Naruto shook his head. ‘’I’m staying, I’m helping.’’ 

  
  
‘’Naruto, there isn’t anything we can do.’’ Ino mumbled, feeling helpless. ‘’Besides, Sasuke wouldn’t let anything happen to Sakura…’’ She was in denial but she knew deep down that he had feelings for her, regardless of her own. ‘’Come on, we should go home.’’ 

  
  
The anger was evident as the blonde paced the room. ‘’You keep me updated you hear me Itachi?’’ – It was more like a threat than anything. 

  
  
‘’I’ll update you when I can,’’ Itachi explained. ‘’Be safe you two,’’ He said and left, leaving them. 

 

  
  
Meanwhile…..   
  
  
  
‘’I knew Danzo wasn’t smart enough to make you the way you should’ve been.’’ Madara eyed Sai, he was sitting with his arms tied. ‘’It’s too bad…you could’ve made something of yourself here in our Family…but you really are useless now. We’re all advanced, we don’t need a practice toy anymore.’’ 

  
  
‘’with all due respect sir,’’ Though Sai really didn’t give two fucks about anyone, he wasn’t capable of **real** human emotion. ‘’You do still need me.’’ 

  
  
Madara eyed him, he wasn’t wrong. Sai could withstand a lot, he was made to endure any kind of pain they put him through…that was Danzo’s intention…but it wasn;t Danzo’s intention to make him care, which he did…somewhat, it was selfish on Sai’s end, not that he was showing real emotions. Anything he did, he did for himself. 

  
  
‘’Are you going to kill the girl?’’ Sai asked.

  
  
Madara cracked his knuckles and left the room, not answering. 

  
  
Sakura was in Madara’s room, her arms and legs were tied and her mouth was covered with tape – she felt weak, but her body wasn’t reverting anymore. She tried to loosen the ties around her wrists but it was no use, they were tied too tightly – she could almost feel her circulation being cut off. 

  
  
‘’Struggling will get you nowhere,’’ Madara’s voice echoed, wandering into his room…or this must have been his room, Sakura couldn’t tell. ‘’I don’t get what they see in you, you’re weak. You’re like Obito’s silly wife…she’s dead now, thanks to you. You must feel so proud for killing her, and him too. The cost of betrayal is death. But… because of you, I have Sasuke…so I suppose I should be thanking you.’’ He approached her, the Uchiha all did look alike in one way or another, Sakura felt him tear the tape from her mouth and she spat at him – like it was a natural instinct and Madara smacked her, hard. 

  
  
‘’Don’t be stupid.’’ He said. ‘’You want to live to see your precious Sasuke don’t you,’’ 

  
  
Sakura narrowed her eyes, she wouldn’t answer him which only got her another smack, this time harder, her lip splitting as blood started to pool and run down her chip. 

  
  
Madara closed the space between them, grasping her chin firmly with his rough finger tips, he leaned down and slid his tongue against the blood on her lip, and his breath was hot against her skin. 

  
  
Sakura's entire body was repulsed as his lips closed down over hers, her eyes narrowing she bit down on his bottom lip, causing their blood to mix. Madara pulled back, not at all phased by what she had done - this guy really was insane. He wiped his lip and licked the blood. ''You're feisty aren't you.'' He laughed, manically. It kind of reminded her of when Sasuke first initially found out about this whole drama...she still wished she could've kept him out of it.  This was all of her fault...if only she avoided that car months ago.... she closed her eyes, remembering. 

  
  
She dropped something...why was she so clumsy, she pictured the back of Ino's and Hinata's head, she remembered seeing sky, then the sound of the ambulance ...and the pain, the pain she didn't recall, just the darkness she saw when she fell under. ''Let me go,'' Sakura breathed, her lips definitely stung from the smack he gave her.

  
  
''Oh, you're free to roam around.'' Madara shrugged, pouring himself a glass of rum. ''and you can try, but like it or not you won't be able to leave,'' Pouring the rum down his throat, he looked at her with glass in hand.  

  
  
Sakura could feel her throat constrict, her body wanted her to cry but her pride stopped her. ''Well are you going to untie me or just fucking stand there?'' 

  
  
She really was feisty. 

  
  
Madara approached her, untied her wrists and stepped back...Sakura lunged - bad idea Sakura, Madara moved and much too quickly for the slow moving Sakura, the glass of rum he had was now embedded in her skull and just like the car crash she fell unconscious. ''Stupid fucking girl,'' He said, watching the blood seep from her head. He hadn't killed her, just badly injured...like he did Sasuke.  Stepping over her body, he walked out of his room. 

  
  
  
Sakura heard voices and felt sharp pains run from the side of her head down her neck...she'd forgotten what happened but when her vision cleared she wanted to scream, but her mouth had been taped shut. Sasuke was across from her with a gaping hole in his stomach, he was bleeding and badly. Sakura's heart raced, she looked left and right, her head pounding - she tried moving but the ties around her wrists were too tight, she could feel the hot wet tears cascading down her face, he was dying right in front of her. 

  
  
She mouthed his name a few times, only muffled sounds coming out. This was a nightmare. 

  
  
  
  
  
''I didn't think you were this stupid.'' Madara said. ''But then again, you did keep him from me for years.'' He walked across the large hollow room toward Itachi...

  
  
''I'll give you whatever you want,'' Itachi said, already beaten up by Madara's men. ''-Just let them go,'' He didn't have a plan, he would just turn himself in for the release of Sasuke and Sakura but it didn't go as planned.

  
  
Madara didn't say anything, he just sat back down at his chair, like he had many times before. ''I think I'll keep the three of you.'' He laughed. ''You really shouldn't have come Itachi, I mean really.'' Madara gave him men a look and one of them knocked Itachi unconscious. 

  
  
''Put him with the other two,'' Shaking his head, a sly grin on his face. 

  
  
The pain in Sakura's head made her dizzy, she could still feel pieces of the glass that were not removed. If they didn't get out of here she would die, and if they did get out of here she could die to, so it wasn't really a win-win situation. She managed to get the tape off her mouth and she wanted to yell and scream and kick, but she didn't, she had to think of a way to get over to Sasuke. 

  
  
The door to the room opened and she saw an unconscious Itachi, and the men who brought him in. They tossed him in the corner of the room and tied him up too. 

  
  
''You can't just leave us in here! This isn't right!'' Sakura screamed, tears drying on her face. ''He needs help!!! Tell Madara he can't just let him bleed to death!!''

  
  
The men ignored Sakura's pleading and crying. ''It's too bad we couldn't have our way with you.'' One spat, leaving with the other. The door closed loudly behind them. 

  
  
''Sasuke, Sasuke can you hear me?'' Her throat was getting hoarse from yelling. ''You need to wake up, do you hear me?!'' She could see him dying and she didn't understand it, he was an Uchiha...didn't they heal? She didn't get it. ''Itachi, wake up!!'' She shouted, moving, the ties had cut into the flesh on her wrists, but she ignored the pain. ''God damnit Wake the fuck up!! You can't die, not here!'' The lump in her throat came back and she felt more tears cascade down her face.

 

  
''We can't just leave them Ino.'' Naruto whispered, Itachi was unaware but they followed him. ''We have to find a way in.'' 

  
  
''This is insane Naruto,'' Ino feared for her life, they were outside of Madara's place... or so they assumed, it was where Itachi went. ''We're just going to get killed and for what? Nothing.'' She hugged herself. ''I just want to go home.'' 

  
  
''Shut up! You want to say them don't you?'' Naruto said, grabbing her hand, trying to reassure. ''We can do this ya'know,'' He looked left and right. ''Let's wait until dark and find a way in.'' 

  
  
A few hours had gone by and the sun had set, Sakura had fallen unconscious, mainly from her head injury. when she woke she saw Itachi awake and surprisingly enough Sasuke. ''...You two...'' The lump reappeared, she swallowed it back. Sasuke looked like he had partially healed, but the blood around him was still evident. ''...Sasuke are you okay?'' 

  
  
Coughing, he wiped the blood from his mouth onto his sleeve. ''I'm fine,'' He looked over at Itachi, the two of them had already talked. Itachi explained that he didn't have a plan, he was just going to give himself up...but it didn't work. ''So how are we getting out of here,'' Sasuke asked. ''Madara clearly doesn't want me dead.'' Sasuke said, very much in pain. Sakura just wanted this whole thing to be over with. 

  
  
Itachi wasn't hurt like the both of them. ''We can't,'' He said. ''It isn't that easy, this place is locked down.'' 

  
  
''What about Sai?'' Sakura asked, hopeful. Though the guy annoyed her 99% of the time, he could help them. 

  
  
''Sai is probably dead by now.'' Itachi said, but...he wasn't. Sai was very much alive. 

  
  
''We can't just give up Itachi.'' Sakura stated, unable to look at Sasuke due to fear of crying again. ''I don't want to die in here.'' She started picking at the tie around her wrist with her teeth, they did tie her with rope which wasn't the smartest. She managed to get it loose and then started picking at the other. ''If we can at least get untied maybe we could protect ourselves. I saw Madara drinking rum earlier,'' She moved over to Sasuke and untied his arms and legs before going over to Itachi. ''Maybe we could somehow put something in his drink.'' 

  
  
''Do you have any poison?'' Itachi joked. 

  
  
''This is serious.'' Sakura muttered, giving him a look. Itachi only just noticed the side of her head. ''You have glass in your head,'' 

  
  
''I know,'' Sakura mumbled, ''Madara smashed it against my head.'' She was afraid to see it, or touch her head. 

  
  
''Hold still,'' Itachi pulled out a few shards. ''You'll have to get that better looked at once we leave.'' 

  
  
Sakura heard hope in those words and she smiled, moving over to Sasuke she tore off the bottom half of her shirt and started to wrap it around what was left of his open stomach wound. ''How are you feeling?'' 

  
  
\- '' He's healing, slowly.'' Itachi jumped in. ''Madara must have done something to slow the healing process.'' 

  
  
''He can do that?'' Sasuke coughed, holding his stomach. The pain was unbearable, but he had to stay strong given the circumstances they were in.

  
  
''How are we going to get through the door,'' Sakura mumbled, noticing it was only accessible from the outside, go figure. ''Do we just wait for one of his men to come in here?''

  
  
''If he doesn't plan on just leaving us to rot.'' Itachi muttered, he looked around. There wasn't really anything they could use to knock the guys out with so Itachi would have to use his body strength. ''We wait,'' He said. ''Until one of them comes in, then we take them by surprise.''

  
  
''Okay that's easy enough,'' Sakura mumbled, holding Sasuke up. ''But what about afterward?'' 

  
  
Itachi had no idea what they were going to do. ''We'll have to figure it out.'' He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Sasuke. ''For now we'll just have to wait.'' 

  
  
''We're going to get caught.'' Ino whispered, hiding behind a wall with Naruto until they waited until the guards passed. ''If I die, I'm coming back to haunt your ass.'' 

  
  
''Relax, and keep quiet would you?'' Naruto barked. ''Who knows if anyone is watching.'' 

  
  
For such a large place, there was no surveillance, just guards in different places. ''Give me your shoe,'' 

  
  
''What?'' Ino blinked, wide-eyed. ''Why do you need my shoe?!''

   
  
''It has a heel on it,'' Naruto explained. ''I'm going to knock that guy out so we can get inside.'' 

  
  
Ino looked between Naruto and the largely built body guard. ''There's no way-''

  
  
''Just give me your fucking shoe Ino.'' Naruto grabbed it off her foot and moved through the bushes, when the guy wasn't looking in his direction, Naruto used all the force he had in his arm and whacked the guy on the back of the head - he got him, the guy slumped to the ground in a second. 

  
  
Ino was quite impressed with Naruto's plan of action, she just wanted to go home and hide in her room given they weren't technically in danger anymore....at least they weren't. ''I still don't see how we're helping them.'' She mumbled, heart racing and brow furrowed - she was really afraid. 

  
  
Naruto covered her mouth and hushed her with his finger, two men walked passed them but luckily they weren't seen. ''We need to find the basement.'' 

  
  
''What makes you think they'd be there?'' 

  
  
''I watch a lot of movies...any big crime boss puts hostages in the basement.'' Naruto smiled. 

  
  
''This isn't a fucking movie idiot, this is real life.'' Ino rolled her eyes as the two of them snuck around the large mansion, looking in every door. ''What if we need a key?'' 

  
  
''The door will probably be guarded by men.'' Naruto explained, under a desk in one of the rooms. ''Itachi and Sasuke aren't weak, or stupid. They're probably trying to escape right now.'' 

  
  
Ino sighed heavily, her heart was racing.  She definitely didn't want to die, and she was most definitely afraid of dying a virgin. ''....Kiss me!'' 

  
  
''What?'' Naruto blinked. ''What do you mean,'' 

  
  
''I mean kiss me, stupid!'' Ino demanded, Naruto put a hand to her mouth wide-eyed. Voices were heard and a door opened, luckily they were hidden from view. 

  
  
''This room is clear,'' 

  
  
The door shut and Naruto felt wetness, Ino was crying silently...they'd almost been caught. He removed his hand away from her mouth, maybe this really was a stupid idea. Did Madara know they got in? He swallowed and looked over the desk to the feet underneath of the door scrambling. It turned out, Itachi's plan of knocking out the guard worked and he managed to get them outside. Naruto looked around and his heart jumped. ''A window! Ino come on,'' He took her arm and opened the window. ''It's kind of a ways down...'' He mumbled, he wasn't wrong...but they wouldn't get hurt really. ''Try to roll when you land,'' 

  
  
''You can't be serious....'' 

  
  
''You want to leave right? I have a feeling Itachi and them are out and that's why Madara's men are going nuts.'' Naruto opened the window, just tuck and roll when you land!! It's the safest way.'' 

  
  
''Says who?'' Ino climbed up onto the window's edge. 

  
''Says me,'' Naruto pushed her, and followed after her

.  
  
Unluckily for them, Ino landed funny on her leg and made it hard to walk. 

  
  
''Come on Ino!'' Naruto dragged her but Ino's ankle had rolled when she fell, landing the way you didn't want to land when falling from a second story window. ''I can't walk!'' She sobbed. ''It hurts too much!!'' 

  
  
Ino was being way too loud for Naruto's likings, he saw men in the distance with flashlights, this wasn't good. He rolled his eyes before kneeling down. ''Get on,'' 

  
  
''W-What? No!'' 

  
  
''We don't have time for this ya know! Just get on!!!'' 

  
  
Ino was hesitant at first, but when she saw the men running towards them with guns and whatever else, she freaked out, got on his back and Naruto carried them off into the woods. The only problem now was they weren't exactly sure as to where they were... and finding Itachi, Sasuke and Sakura was not going to be easy by any means. 

  
  
''Would you run faster?'' Ino squeaked, hearing gun fires.

  
  
''Would you shut up!! I'm going as fast as I can with you on my back.'' Naruto rounded a few trees and dipped down a rather steep hill before falling under the grass, the way it fell over the curve of the hill made it easy for them to hide. ''Here,'' Naruto put her down not so gently and grabbed a few twigs. He moved beside her, and pulled down branches over them... if they were quiet enough, they could get away with it. 

  
  
''I think they went this way!'' One voice yelled out, and then another. 

  
  
The plan weirdly enough worked out for Ino's and Naruto's favor, the men jumped over where they were hiding and kept searching. Naruto kept his hand over Ino's mouth, afraid she would scream or talk. 

  
  
Naruto exchanged looks with Ino, he removed his hand from her mouth like before and they both took a breath. That whole situation could've been bad, Ino smacked him and hard. ''You jerk! We could've been killed, and for what? Nothing!! They already escaped by the time we got into that dreadful place!'' Tears were streaming down Ino's face, she was obviously scared. 

  
  
Naruto rubbed his shoulder. ''I couldn't just sit by..'' 

  
  
Ino wiped her face and looked around, it was completely silent. ''Do you think it's safe to leave?'' 

 

  
  
''We should wait a little longer.'' 

  
  
''But what if they come back?'' Ino looked absolutely terrified just sitting there, hidden by tree branches. ''What if we're the ones who get kidnapped?'' She swallowed, unable to think about it. 

  
  
''Would you stop?'' Naruto shook his head, he looked left and right. They were in the middle of nowhere. ''If we can get back to the truck, we can leave.'' He still had the keys. ''Come on,'' Pulling Ino on his back once more he ran through the woulds, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. ''I'm sure Itachi and them are fine.'' 

  
  
Naruto wasn't wrong, they'd definitely gotten out. Sai had helped them, just like Sakura thought he would do. ''You're sure you can't come with us?'' She asked, helping Sasuke walk. ''You'd have a better life if you came with us.'' 

  
  
''I have to make sure Madara doesn't come after you.'' Sai half smiled. ''I'll be okay.'' 

  
  
''Why did you help us?'' Sakura asked, handing Sasuke off to Itachi given he was in better shape than both of them. 

  
  
Sai shrugged. ''I like you.'' He laughed slightly. ''I mean, not in the way you're thinking, now go.'' He looked behind him, even though they were far out of Madara's reach. ''I'll handle Madara.'' 

  
  
''What are you going to do?'' 

  
  
''I'll figure something out.'' 

  
  
and without another word, Sai was gone. Sakura felt a tinge in her heart...she wouldn't say it out loud but she would miss him. 

  
  
''Itachi, Sakura! Sasuke!'' Naruto's voice was loud, but they were close enough that they didn't have to yell. Sakura felt a thud and arms around her, it was Ino. ''I thought you were killed!!!'' Tears streamed down her face. ''Thank goodness!'' 

  
  
Taken back, and wide-eyed, Sakura couldn't help but hug her back, 

  
  
Sakura looked as surprised as Itachi did. 

  
  
''I thought I told you guys to go home.'' Itachi said, helping Sasuke into the back seat of the truck. Naruto shrugged. ''You know me,'' Eyeing Sasuke he felt a pull at his heart. ''Man, you look like shit.'' He helped Itachi bring him in so he was comfortable. 

  
  
''You're one to talk,'' Sasuke winced, the pain surging up his back. Sakura and Ino got in, Sakura kept her distance from Sasuke given he hadn't had the time to tell Ino how he felt and what had happened...not that he would tell her that they had a moment of passion and that they were soul mates or whatever. ''How's Sai going to keep Madara away.'' Sakura looked at Itachi, she was sitting in the passenger seat while he drove. ''There's no way we're getting off so easily.'' 

  
  
''Sai isn't stupid.'' Itachi explained, heart pounding as they pulled out onto the black road. ''He'll find a way to delay him.'' 

  
  
''and you're sure about that?'' She asked, eyeing Sasuke in the rearview mirror. ''He wants you dead, and me.'' 

  
  
''If Madara wanted us dead, we would be dead by now.'' 

  
  
Ino was comforting Sasuke, but the Uchiha's eyes were on Sakura. 

  
  
  
Itachi drove them back into town, Ino collapsed on one of Itachi's couches and watched him bring Sasuke into the washroom. ''Sakura let me look at your head.'' 

  
  
''I feel fine,'' She sat on the edge of the tub and eyed herself in the mirror - she wasn't reverting. ''....I-Itachi,'' Her words were barely a whisper. ''I'm not... I'm not reverting anymore.'' She touched the side of her head, it didn't hurt but she picked out some of the glass shards. ''...Madara took the amulet..but,'' She touched her face lightly, afraid if she put too much pressure she would crumble into nothing...then she noticed her lip. ''Our blood,'' She twirled and grabbed Itachi by the shoulders. ''My blood mixed with his!!!!'' Wide-eyed she felt dizzy, but Itachi kept her upright. 

  
  
Sasuke looked just as confused as Itachi did in that moment.

   
  
''what do you mean your blood mixed?'' 

  
  
''I mean, um,'' She touched her lip, it had healed already. ''Earlier...he well, he smacked me...really hard, and well that creep kissed me!! and so i bit him, and well! Our blood mixed.'' She looked from Sasuke to Itachi. ''and now I'm not reverting.'' 

  
  
''Madara's the main blood line...'' Itachi explained. ''I'm surprised he wasn't more cautious...'' 

  
  
''So...does this mean I'm not going to die?'' Sakura was hopeful, she had to be. She'd been so distracted by everything happening she'd forgotten all about her body dying. It was painful when it happened, but now that it wasn't she felt somewhat relief. Something she hadn't felt since this whole thing started...which was entirely her fault. She felt repulsed though, that it was his blood keeping her from dying. 

  
  
''No,'' Itachi said quietly. ''Madara's blood is used in the rituals performed...'' He ran a hand through his hair and finished bandaging up Sasuke. ''You're fine, but Madara won't let you live if he knows.'' He sighed and opened the washroom door. ''Everyone should stay together for the time being.'' Moving back out into the living room he saw Naruto and Ino. ''You two really should go home. Madara isn't even aware you two are involved.'' 

  
  
''I want to stay.'' Naruto muttered, stubborn as always.

  
  
Ino looked between Naruto and Itachi and back into the washroom where Sakura and Sasuke still were, she felt something pull at her heart strings. She knew deep down he didn't love her the way she wanted him to, but there was nothing she could do about it. ''What if they find out we were involved?'' She pushed herself up. ''I'm sure he's aware of myself and Naruto, his men spotted us before.'' 

  
  
Itachi shrugged, and sat down exhausted, even he missed Sai. ''Hopefully Sai will get this taken care of and we won't have to worry so much.''   
  
  
  


 


End file.
